The pandemic forced b-to-b businesses to completely digitize their marketing efforts virtually overnight—and that digitization coincided with the industry’s transition to a more personalized, human-centered approach to marketing. 

Human-centered marketing is the strategy for here and now. But marketers are facing new challenges: how to balance making a human connection with prospects and customers through almost exclusively digital channels.

As every CMO knows, to increase revenue your marketing team must establish trust, authority and loyalty with your customers in an authentic way. In the past, to drive performance, many marketers searched for the latest programmatic formulas, communication technologies and new devices to externally attract prospects.

But in today’s business landscape, it’s actually looking within by tapping their internal teams to become external brand advocates that brands have the best opportunity to connect with their buying audiences.

Consider this: A recent LinkedIn study found the clickthrough rate on content is twice as high when shared by an employee than when shared directly by the company. Customers, partners and prospects are simply more highly impacted by a brand’s employees than the brand itself.

Building out a LinkedIn employee advocacy program is the highly strategic method that can help companies stand out from the competition. This is done by using the team’s expertise to generate demand in a specific industry.

LinkedIn launched nearly 20 years ago, but here’s why 2023 is the year for your b-to-b business to invest in team-focused marketing on the platform.

Understanding employee advocacy

At its base, LinkedIn is a business networking tool with great organic potential. But when human-powered with strategic positioning, genuine intent and consistent engagement, having an entire army of brand marketers as employee advocates is what the people who you are ultimately trying to reach are looking for as we all try to build more authentic connections with those who matter in our community.

There are four keys to understanding employee advocacy as a marketing function and how to leverage it on LinkedIn for better overall brand performance.

More noise, bigger social footprint. We know brand awareness is key to growth, but getting your message out there is difficult in noisy industries. The solution: Make more meaningful sound on the platform by encouraging your employees to post content. And make it easy to do so in their own voice. Consider having quarterly check-ins, monitoring and engaging employee LinkedIn brand engagement activity and incentivizing participation by celebrating individual and collective team milestones and impact. 

Leverage your team’s knowledge. Your team is the “knowledge” extension of your business, and their expertise can be leveraged to encourage social media engagement. By posting consistent and insightful content, your team will position themselves as industry experts, drawing customers to your business. 

This tactic could range from spotlighting employees in Q&A-style blog features that then catalyze conversations in LinkedIn group posts and company pages to asking your employees to share tidbits of content that add value and solution-focused expertise to the core problems that your customer base is experiencing. The more your employees can meet the targeted community where those customers are, and the more they talk as an asset to the customer versus a promoter, the more organic and powerful LinkedIn communications will be.

Low cost, only effort needed. Before raising marketing budgets to meet the latest demands for revenue goals, consider the value and investment of time with already existing resources who have much to gain by helping the company become better by engaging with customers. Formally structure, encourage and measure your performance-based program that vocalizes your company’s core brand or sales messages. 

The best part is the all-in-it-together element of time well spent versus pouring more money into promoted programs alone.

Create a value network. In the b-to-b world, finding new customers is expensive and takes forever. Depending on your industry, a typical sales cycle can last upward of a year. With the time and resources that go into acquiring customers, it makes sense to invest in the customers you have and keep current ones engaged.

Encourage your team to form a network of customer connections based on authentic conversation and interactions with them. If your customers feel like they are part of a community and authentically connected to your staff, they’re more likely to stick around and even become advocates themselves—the organic extension of a human-focused approach.

Leveraging your team’s voice effectively

You’ve invested time, money and energy into hiring employees and building your team. You know they’re subject matter experts and you trust them with your business. A top-down directive—authentically incentivized and focused on building stronger teams— as well as a more cohesive culture and celebrating team-driven success are all critical to ultimately motivating your staff to continuously share their expertise on LinkedIn to improve the company’s marketing and sales performance.

The more that marketing can do to structure, encourage and take a metrics-driven approach to employee advocacy, the more your brand will be represented both genuinely and effectively.

The people within an organization are truly its most important asset. While conferences and trade shows have been the traditional way for b-to-b businesses to leverage expertise and gain credibility, the pandemic has shifted how people network, connect with and trust those within their communities. 

LinkedIn can also serve as a long-term marketplace to engage with people you met at organizational events, conferences and more. Leveraging human-driven advocacy tactics are also powerful from a budget perspective. By joining technology-driven tactics with human-driven outcomes, brands taking a blended approach and a systemwide responsibility for how they’re represented online make employees accountable and prompt them to take action. 

As the top b-to-b social media channel, LinkedIn is only going to become more necessary and powerful as a tool to grow your brand digitally and tap into new growth opportunities. The brands that learn how to leverage it effectively now through the army of their brand advocates—their employees—will be in the best position to thrive in 2023 and beyond.

If you’re feeling slightly out of breath and confused that the year is almost over, you’re not alone—it felt like we packed 18 months into 2022.

One reason is because the world looks so different from where we started in January. Crypto companies ruled the Super Bowl, but by November the entire industry was quaking from the downfall of FTX. We were just getting the hang of what purpose-driven marketing really means when rising inflation sent everyone back to savings-oriented tactics. And NFTs haven’t exactly turned out to be the revolutionary marketing vehicles they’d been hyped as.

Along the way, Adweek was there covering every trend. To look back, we’ve rounded up the top 22 most popular stories of 2022, from rebrands and cottagecore fashion to racy brand tweets and soul-searching about the future of publishing.

22. Unilever Doesn’t Have a CMO Any More—Here’s Why

As of April, one of the world’s biggest advertisers no longer has a chief marketing officer. Instead, Conny Braams serves as Unilever’s chief digital and commercial officer, reflecting the increasingly blurred lines between digital marketing and commerce.

21. These Special Burger King Whoppers Cater to the Weirdest Pregnancy Cravings

In a survey, 76% of expectant moms told Burger King that the strange foods they crave are “impossible” to resist. So, on Mother’s Day, the fast-food chain served up some truly off-menu combos just for them.

20. Why Sustainable Travel Is No Walk in the Park

A tourism bureau’s job is to inspire travel. But when that works too well and a location gets more visitors than it can handle, marketing can still be the answer.

19. It’s Official: Skinny Jeans Are Out, Wide-Leg Denim Is In

Cancel culture has come for a decade-old fashion trend, but we feel confident saying this is one change every generation can support.

18. You Can Relax, Twitter: Guitar Center Adds a ‘G’ to Logo

Let’s be real, Twitter will never have any chill. But when your customers are confused—or your logo is generating more conversation than your products—it’s time for a pivot.

17. Liquid Death Recruits Porn Stars for a Sustainability-Themed Campaign

Yeah, we wanted to know more, too. It’s the kind of offbeat marketing we’ve come to expect from the water brand packaged like an energy drink—a horror movie starring zombie cans, anyone?

16. Why It Might Be Time for Budweiser to Give That Horse and Dog a Rest

Budweiser has been coasting on the popularity of its signature Clydesdales and their canine companion for decades. But the 2022 Super Bowl edition of these two iconic companions flopped with audiences, so we looked at why the formula is no longer working.

15. Birkenstock Embraces Its Reputation for Unstylish Footwear

Displaying its signature product in an unflattering light worked for Burger King with the Moldy Whopper, so Birkenstock thought why not lean into what our customers are already saying? As a bonus, the utilitarian sandals actually came full circle to be cool with the arrival of cottagecore.

14. Christopher Meloni Bares All in Maximum Effort’s Latest Peloton Ad

The internet’s thirst for Christopher Meloni is bottomless, just like him in an uncommonly racy ad from an advertiser that’s revamping its brand to survive.

13. Major Brands Are Shifting to TikTok, and You Should Be Too

TikTok has been minting new musical artists, influencers and wardrobe trends, and unlike other platforms, it’s a platform where advertisers that aren’t too precious about their brand can break into the Gen Z demographic everyone wants. The question is, are you brave enough?

12. Jon Hamm Is Mad, Man, as Apple TV+ Casts Everyone But Him

To emphasize how many A-listers the streamer had signed, it hired another A-lister who’d been left out to promote it. (Also, Adweek will never sleep on a Mad Men pun.)

11. Nike Drops Free Sneakers by Drone to Promote the Air Max

Get it? A literal sneaker drop!

10. Publishers Can Chart the Future of the Industry Together

Quartz CRO Natalie Diamond issued a rallying cry for a publisher coalition to tackle the challenge of meeting consumers’ rising expectations.

9. AT&T’s Lily Shoots for a Temporary Celebrity Replacement in March Madness Campaign

Replace AT&T’s Lily?! Don’t even dare.

8. Pabst Blue Ribbon Deletes Tweets About ‘Eating Ass,’ Saying They Were ‘in Poor Judgment’

Riling up the social media mob is a tried-and-true marketing tactic, but even college students’ beer of choice managed to cross a line with these tweets.

7. Demi Moore Turns Designer for DTC Swim Brand Andie

Actor, producer, best-selling author, songwriter, women’s rights advocate and mother of three Demi Moore added another title to her resume—and it’s affordable and sustainably made, too.

6. How Agencies Are Helping Brands Quit Cookies

Early in 2022, when brands were still hoping that the cookie’s sentence would be commuted, 55% of advertisers were unprepared for a world without them. So agencies stepped into the breach for them.

5. Affiliate Marketing Is a Safe Haven for Publishers in a Cookieless Future

Rakuten Advertising’s Anthony Capano makes the case for affiliate marketing as the way for publishers to receive fair compensation for their content and retain the all-important first-party data that’s fueling a boom in retail media. 

4. Why Martin Agency’s CEO Is Calling Out Coinbase Over Its QR Code Super Bowl Ad

At first, Coinbase’s bouncing QR code stood out as an uncommonly stark Super Bowl play that worked. But controversy quickly arose about who was actually responsible for the idea behind the ad after a Twitter thread by the crypto exchange’s CEO. Since then, 2022 went on to become the year of giving credit where it’s due, especially when it comes to creative directors. 

3. Adidas Tweeted 25 Pairs of Bare Breasts to Launch a Campaign for Inclusive Sports Bras

Many brands talk the talk of embracing all bodies, but Adidas walked the walk with its new sports bra line in a campaign created by an all-female team.

2. Pepsi Will No Longer Sponsor the Super Bowl Halftime Show

The beverage giant had a 10-year run as the title sponsor of the most star-studded commercial break in television, but now it’s looking elsewhere to connect with younger consumers. 

1. The 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of 2022

Advertising’s biggest stage remains the NFL’s season-ending showdown, but this year’s winner brought a big twist: beloved among marketing executives, it ranked dead last in USA Today’s viewer poll. Ponder that when planning your next campaign.

The social media masses are on a constant mission to dismantle the digital hierarchy.

Every time the wealthy capitalize on a trend to brandish their glamorous lifestyles, it is accompanied by a counter movement where an army of average Joes fight back by finding humor in the quirks of a modest lifestyle.

The phrase “Things in my home that just make sense” has been used to showcase high-end appliances sitting in multi-million-dollar homes. But the concept has also been adapted by middle-class Americans who poke fun at their less appealing living situations, like having to cut out the side of their bathroom door so it can open past the toilet. 

When brands hopped on this trend, they used it to craft a product catalog, listing the items that “just make sense” for you to buy from their online storefronts. But consumers prioritize education and entertainment on social media by rejecting content that is solely self-promotional. Today’s winning accounts are unafraid to lean into a healthy amount of self-deprecation, and marketers missed an opportunity to use this trend to highlight the unromantic elements of their brands. 

“When brands tap into viral trends, they try to change them too much,” said independent agency Johannes Leonardo copywriter Chris Chance, who noted he learned about the creative process through growing up on the internet and making memes. “If the content is going to feel corporate, there is no point in making it at all.” 

From sexualizing candy bars to poking fun at vocal fry, here are 10 moments when brands engaged with internet culture without spoiling the user experience.

1. Kung Fu Tea satirizes TikTok marketing

Brands interjecting themselves into trends that have nothing to do with them is a great way to lose customers, but introducing a social strategy that is deliberately lazy, random and unoriginal can also keep the internet entertained. After users started pairing compilations of “fail videos” with the intro sequence to Cali Swag District’s “Teach Me How to Dougie,” Kung Fu Tea posted a TikTok that began by mimicking this format but then interjected random product shots. This method, which was also picked up by Harry Styles’ nail polish brand Pleasing, doesn’t try to trick anyone.

Takeaway: Instead of denying that they’re ultimately on TikTok to sell stuff, these brands pulled out a satirical strategy that pokes fun at both invasive marketing and brands that try too hard to hide their agenda. 

2. Brands ditch the self-importance 

Marketers are successful on social media when they understand the importance of humility. Taco Bell internalized this concept by hiring a relentless and unapologetic critic of the brand—Doja Cat—as the face of recent campaigns. Duolingo’s long running bit is that its app reminders are overly aggressive, and RyanAir has indirectly admitted that its affordability is the only thing keeping customers around. 

Takeaway: Just as self-deprecating humor from users is more universally appealing than overly curated content, brands garner attention on social platforms when they surprise consumers with charming unprofessionalism. 

3. Netflix respectfully interrupts an HBO show

Content around The White Lotus, an HBO comedy-drama that documents the disturbing journeys of resort guests, has been hijacking social media feeds for weeks. One particularly talked about scene entails Jennifer Coolidge announcing “The gays are trying to murder me,” which prompted Netflix to draw attention to the actress’ related sentiment in the streaming service’s rom-com “Single All the Way.”

Takeaway: The branded snark that was once seen as innovative now feels cringe-worthy, making Netflix’s understated and indirect approach to engaging with a competitor effective. 

4. Chipotle serves the corn kid 

Drawn from clips of an interview by Recess Therapy, an account dedicated to conversations with children in New York, 7-year-old Tariq’s passion for corn made for a universally-adored pop culture moment. The original clip was then remixed into a song, which brands across TikTok used to promote their own products. Chipotle invited Tariq to one of its restaurants and filmed him as he moved down the line and rejects every menu item except for corn.

Takeaway: While quickly jumping on social media trends is tempting, sometimes the brands that take a second to think through their strategies create the most memorable content.

5. Popeyes protects a pop star 

When an audience member chucked two chicken nuggets at Harry Styles during a Madison Square Garden concert, Popeyes partnered with independent creative agency GUT to protect the pescatarian pop star from more unsolicited exposure to poultry. The brand dressed fans in its uniforms with signs like “No air time for this nugget” and “It’s love that chicken, not throw that chicken” to plant across TikTok.

Takeaway: By efficiently establishing itself as the antidote to an evidently disposable product, Popeyes delighted fans when it unexpectedly snuck itself into a cultural moment that aligned with the brand. 

6. The Flyers’ muse pokes fun at a viral podcast clip

When Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper invited Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox into the studio, the internet was quick to call out Fox’s vocal fry and make a meme of her belief that she was the sole inspiration behind the film. Since the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty is the internet’s most beloved mascot and can pretty much get away with anything, he was interjected into a conversation that had nothing to do with him and it was completely excusable.

Takeaway: Julia Fox and orange creatures are two notably unconventional characters, so combining the two made for a random social moment that was simple and memorable while lacking nauseating self-promotion. 

7. Snickers feeds into dirty humor 

In April, rumors surfaced that the chocolate ripples on the Snickers bar would be replaced with an uncomfortably smooth surface. The design has long been declared to resemble genital veins, which means Twitter users refused to stay silent about the alleged product alteration. After a complete uproar across the platform, the brand reassured fans that the aesthetic of its product would remain the same.

Takeaway: Rogue social media managers, who mimic the energy of the Pabst Blue Ribbon employee (without going quite so far), make consumers feel like the brands they engage with are estranged from the confines of corporate America. 

8. Lindsay Lohan partners with Pepsi

When TikTok users started posting videos mixing cola drinks with milk or creamer and calling it “dirty soda,” Pepsi interjected by bringing back the term “Pilk,” which debuted in the 1970s sitcom Laverne and Shirley.

Takeaway: By pairing a zany beverage fad with a celebrity who has always been difficult to ignore, Pepsi delicately redirected a conversation that included the entire soda industry back to its brand. 

9. Tumblr mocks Musk 

The impending demise of Twitter poses an opportunity for competing platforms to attract new users, but that makes for a complicated feat when Musk bans their presence on his browning turf. When Twitter officially released a list of platforms that would be banned and Tumblr wasn’t on the list, the platform played into its questionable relevancy.

Takeaway: Tumblr used Twitter to modestly insert itself back into the conversation after a significant hiatus, and with this strategy comes a level of self-awareness that the masses can appreciate.

10. IHop runs to the grocery aisle 

If a brand wants to hop on a trend two years after its peak, it needs to have a good reason for the hold up. The pancake house partnered with General Mills, a brand that typically keeps consumers at home for breakfast instead of inside their restaurants, for a collaboration featuring mini Pancake-shaped pieces with blueberry and syrup flavoring that was completely inspired by social listening.

Takeaway: By launching an original product, iHop and General Mills demonstrated that brands taking their time to tap into internet culture can elicit consumer nostalgia and respect.