For advertisers, attention is emerging as the new standard for evaluating ad effectiveness. But with the average person spending seven hours online every day—browsing, chatting, watching or working across multiple devices—and seeing anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 ads in that time, standing out in an era of distraction is no easy feat. 

Pre-dating the internet we know today, the concept of an attention economy—where a wealth of information causes a scarcity of attention—was first coined by economist Herbert A. Simon in the 1970s. The use of attention as a metric for ad effectiveness, however, is a relatively new development. 

Already, clickbait headlines, never-ending social media feeds and personalized algorithms work tirelessly to keep users engaged. So how might a renewed focus on attention reshape the industry for the better?

What is attention? 

According to one study, a 5% increase in attention volume leads to a 40% surge in in-market ad awareness. But attention is not an “all or nothing” concept. Rather, attention quality and quantity can vary greatly. So how do we measure this? 

While no foolproof method has been developed, a variety of technologies including head movement-tracking, skin conductance, EEG scans, MRI scans and AI-enhanced eye-tracking have all been tested. Other ways of measuring attention involve ad interaction rate and time, active time on a screen, in-view time and audible or visible completion rates.

With many unknowns and variables still at play, greater research and a broader range of metrics are needed to clarify the specific factors that make online ads effective and how best to track and even define attention. In the meantime, however, it’s possible to optimize ads and the environments they’re placed in to boost consumer engagement and interactions, such as quality of the page, ad position, digital environment, page clutter, frequency and time of day. 

Putting the consumer first 

“Attention-grabbing” does not always mean a positive user experience. In a digital environment, there are many formats aimed at drawing in consumer attention—banner ads, pop-ups, videos, ads above and below the fold—but these are just as likely (if not more so) to annoy users. 

Maximizing attention above all else can come at the expense of brand reputation and ad effectiveness. Nowadays, due to the reputation of pop-up ads and their sheer volume across the web, two-thirds (63%) of Gen Z users apply ad blockers to avoid the intrusive ad format as much as possible. One study cites the three main reasons for deploying ad blockers as intrusiveness, irrelevance and repetition. 

Research also shows that as the number of ads increases, user attention decreases. This is true for both broadcast and digital channels, including Snapchat and Meta, as well as YouTube, which recently launched global frequency capping. Other small adjustments such as placement can also have a positive effect: Although not within the immediate line of vision, ads below the fold benefit from the attention and engagement users have decided to give page content, generating 29% more than those above the fold. Premium digital environments—trusted brands with quality content and loyal audiences—have also been found to boost memorability, dwell times and engagement, increasing ad equity. 

Successfully generating a global, captive audience takes a lot more than simply getting noticed. Tuning into the attention economy requires an industrywide shift, focused on creating a more collaborative ecosystem with a shared goal of putting consumer experience first.

Prioritizing personalization 

There’s no value in grabbing attention if the content isn’t relevant to the people seeing it. As such, personalization is key to engaging consumers the right way, encouraging them to take action rather than moving on to another task. In fact, tailoring ads is proven to work for marketers, with 89% reporting a positive ROI when they focus on personalizing their campaigns and 60% of consumers agreeing they would return to a brand following a personalized experience. 

Streamlining decision-making 

To turn attention into results, marketers need to make it easy for consumers to take the next step and have a measurable impact on the goals of a campaign. Whether creating enough mystery to encourage consumers to click through to the website or being clear about unique selling points to ensure potential customers make a purchase, close collaboration between all media players—from social media platforms to publishers, agencies and brands—can ensure ads are designed to be as useful and positive for consumers as they are for advertisers. 

Collaborating to fill the data gaps

While attention metrics gain traction, we all know personalization and targeting is getting harder. As consented first-party data becomes ever more crucial to advertiser strategies, partnering with those who have it—trusted, premium publishers, for example—while maximizing their own data is crucial to brands. Marketers have the opportunity to build and tailor their digital ads around the interests, preferences and behaviors of their consumers, but only through collaboration with a variety of industry players can they gather the level of detail needed to get personalization right and reap the rewards.

While the industry has more work to do to truly understand the best way to measure attention as a predictor of ad effectiveness, all brands can start with their customers to build a more effective post-cookie strategy. Working together to achieve this will stand the industry in good stead to embrace the attention economy and build a positive environment for advertisers and consumers alike. 

In a week where jury deliberations for Cannes Lions come hot on the heels of the Tony Awards, I can’t help thinking that the drama of judging creative advertising would make a great number in a Broadway show. Because when it comes to debating award-winning creative, just like the rap in the musical Hamilton, there’s always intrigue around what goes on in “The Room Where It Happens.” As the lyrics go, everyone wants to know “how the game is played/the art of the trade/how the sausage gets made.” The metaphor speaks to creatives everywhere.

So if you’ve ever wondered what goes on in the jury rooms at Cannes and how the judges separate the best from the rest, here is a backstage tour.

The opinion is diverse – and it should be

The jury room experience is always inspiring. There’s a magic that happens when people with unique perspectives come together to discuss creativity. After all, that’s exactly how we sell the work to our clients in the first place; through dialogue, discourse and debate.

Ultimately, creativity is an opinion, so when we’re interrogating work, it’s important we hear diverse perspectives. And boy do we hear them! Creatives are nothing if not passionate and opinionated. Turns out, so are the CMOs, CEOs and every other human in the room. But that’s how it should be.

Creative evaluation always evolves

I’ve been a Cannes juror for the last three festivals and, as a new generation comes into the jury room, I’ve seen shifts in the way we evaluate work. Every year, something changes; our mindset, our culture, our approach.

Every generation looks at the world differently, holding each of us accountable in a different way. It pushes the boundaries of critical thinking.

This year, in-room emphasis has been on evaluating efficacy. We’ve been doing the research, looking up results and trying to validate that the work in front of us is having a meaningful impact.

Of course, that’s not always possible—some campaigns are in their infancy and the data isn’t yet there. Bottom line though—award-winning creative can’t just be a good idea; it’s got to have impact. It’s got to throw the spotlight onto something that changes the way people think or act. Today’s jurors are hot on this.

We question everything, over and over again

Deliberations are robust, with all work rigorously interrogated. It deserves nothing less.

However big the category, it’s our duty to look at the entire body of work and scrutinize everything through all the different lenses. Whether it’s the idea, the strategy or the craft, our job is to look deeper and measure against criteria.

Every year you see pieces winning over and over again across multiple subcategories. There’s no question they’re fabulous ideas. But are they the best for filmcraft? The best for innovation? The best for the whole creative kit and caboodle?

We examine everything forensically. It’s easy to take a brilliant idea and blanket the category with it. But if it’s going to clean up, it needs to knock your socks off in each of those subcategories.

Golds can come out of nowhere

There’s always standout work that grabs everyone’s attention. But there are also Golds that come right out of nowhere.

Jury rooms are full of different opinions, but the push and pull of professional debate has a remarkable knack for making disparate opinions come together. Sometimes, someone will advocate for work that you’d previously ruled out, yet when you re-evaluate it through a different lens, you suddenly go: ‘Wait a minute … that’s amazing!’ That person offers a cultural or business perspective that makes everyone value something they didn’t appreciate before. In those moments, you see a shift in the entire jury, where something you never thought would make it off the shortlist suddenly bags Gold.

Want proof? Try this. Every juror on an “awarding jury” is allowed to bring back something that isn’t on the shortlist; a personal favorite that didn’t make the original cut. Last year, one such piece was brought back by a juror…. and it went on to win Grand Prix.

That success is a testament to the dynamics of diverse human debate and the drama that occurs in “The Room Where It Happens.”

Now… how can we win that Tony?

One in five Gen Z adults identifies as LGBTQ+ according to Gallup. While reports claim there are over 1,500 dating apps and websites around the world, there has been little to no innovation in this space for queer men in more than a decade.

Through our research with members of the queer community, we found that male, queer, Gen Z and millennial dating app users still feel something is missing from the apps they use. The way this demographic seeks out relationships is fluid, but while dating apps help find casual fun or romantic relationships, social media apps proved better for building connections and finding friendships. They’re still waiting for an app to allow them to show up authentically themselves, romantically and platonically.

Inward reflection, outward partnership

Archer, the new social-first dating app, took a different approach to build its app that caters to the needs of gay, bisexual and queer men. Our parent company, Match Group, realized the online market was lacking in apps that bridged the dating and social worlds for these groups. Before deciding on the app’s name or even honing in on app features, the team behind Archer first reflected on our own dating app highs and lows, how queer men’s experiences and relationships, and society at large, have evolved. We collectively thought about how we can better serve the future generations through this platform.

These insights sparked the idea of establishing a group of community advocates, which included the appointment of local New York City-based queer men who provided counsel on the app’s interface, user experience and features to deliver an authentic and unique experience to fellow gay, bisexual and queer men. Meetings with this group—and partners including ASTRSK PR, GLAAD, BMF and Target10—served as a watering hole filled with honest, thought-provoking conversations and anecdotes about the unique dating experiences of the community.

Pivoting product

In early development discussions, we made a case for building a totally unique app completely from scratch, particularly from a UX perspective. Instead of using the repeated features that many apps catering to this group have adopted over the past decade, the team experimented with a layout that wouldn’t solely focus on finding “the one” but instead blur the lines between community building, dating and networking for an interconnected experience. The design and functionality of the app was developed internally, but hours of interviews and feedback from the audience it intended to serve reinforced that we were solving many consumer needs that we initially defined.

Since day one, stories about the experiences of queer daters inspired our product team to prioritize user safety features that would enhance protection on the app, while creating a product that reflects the celebratory nature of our audience. Personally, dating apps were the only way for me to connect with other gay men when I graduated college and was still in the closet; the only gay dating apps available to me reinforced the idea that queer love and connection should be secretive and hidden, as I was flooded with blank profiles or people hiding behind headless profile pictures. Marcus Lofthouse, chief product officer, recognized early on that requiring selfie verification at signup, making each user have a face photo as their main profile image, would encourage celebration over secrecy, while also creating an app designed to mitigate abuse and fraud.

Continuing to build out the app and merge the best of social and dating, we implemented features such as a group chat and new means of discovery that would welcome connections of all kinds. We stayed focused on connecting with community members to ensure what we were building resonated with those who would actually be using our app. Surveying over 1,200 queer men, and recruiting over 200 queer men who participated in the app’s beta program this spring, captured more qualitative data. Further, it informed us on how queer men date—fluidly. Many shared they use dating and social apps for a range of things, including hookups, dates and finding friends. Rather than a segmented experience, we learned that our audience uses various platforms in unique ways depending on their needs and moods.

Additionally, the health and wellness of gay, bisexual and queer men became a recurring conversation among our employees and the group of community advocates, which led us to create an in-app health hub designed as a digital center for access to medical and mental resources. It will also provide advice on mental, physical and sexual health with tips from experts, including author and influencer Zachary Zane, with additional and diverse dating coaches, health activists, relationship and sex experts on the way.

Reaching users on- and offline

At the beginning of 2023, we began thinking through our communication and marketing strategy. For Archer, a brand new app in an extremely competitive space, our tactics had to drive awareness, conversion and retention. We had to make sure we were engaging with Archer’s targets on- and offline.

Other Match Group brands, including OkCupid, have a long-standing relationship with Braze for our CRM efforts spanning in-app notifications to emails. Their system helps us create engaging and impactful campaigns that allow us to customize messaging for Archer users and connect with them based on their activity, age, location and more.

Tapping into creators on Instagram and TikTok was core to our go-to-market strategy, helping encourage app pre-registrations in June, and downloads during July. Though the app would not be fully available until mid-July, we knew we had to capitalize on Pride Month. We recruited brand ambassadors to promote Archer at gay bars across Brooklyn and Manhattan, with on-the-ground marketing in key locations throughout the rest of the year. These brand ambassadors will also be showing up to parades, including the NYC Pride March and Harlem Pride at the end of June. All these in-person interactions and our custom mailers include branded favors from LGBTQ+ vendors, which allowed us to be creative and dive into the mind of what was useful and sustainable to our audience.

Understanding the needs of your audience is crucial, and allowing them a seat at your table can be a rewarding experience during the development process. Challenge yourself to audit internally and with other collaborations that align with the values and makeup of who you want to market to. Don’t discount the importance of niche cultures and how far simple human interaction can support the development of your next launch or campaign.

B-to-b creative tends to follow a set formula: product features + disembodied voice-over + generic visuals.

You know what we’re talking about—stock images of professionals in gray suits sitting around a conference room table shaking hands. Text that describes your product in excruciating, quantitative detail. 111% ROI, 33% faster speeds, 77% reduction in costs. Generic attributes that could apply to any brand—“innovative,” “reliable.” And don’t forget the voice actor with the soothing baritone. And then, at the absolute last second, the big branding reveal.

The problem is that this formula for b-to-b creative does not work. And we know it doesn’t work because we’ve looked at the evidence.

At the B2B Institute, we recently partnered with System1, a global marketing research and effectiveness company, to measure more than 2,500 b-to-b ads from 2020 to 2022. We tested for ad likeability—and brand growth potential—using System1’s “five-star scale.” One star means the ad is unlikeable and unmemorable, while five stars means the ad is likeable and memorable. The more likeable the ad, the better chance it has of getting noticed and being remembered. More importantly, ad likeability is a useful predictor of sales growth.

Since 95% of b-to-b buyers are not currently in the market for your products and services, the primary job of b-to-b creative isn’t to generate an immediate sale (though some buyers will see the ad and purchase the product). Rather, the primary job of b-to-b creative is to build memories of the brand that make future purchases more likely.

So, how does b-to-b creative score on likeability?

More than two-thirds of b-to-b creative scored one star. In other words, those ads were forgettable. System1 recommends three stars as the minimum for an effective ad; fewer than 1 in 10 b-to-b ads pass the three-star standard. B-to-b substantially underperforms business-to-consumer ads on these metrics, and the gap has doubled since 2020.

System1 also tests for brand recognition using its “brand fluency” metric. Fluency is measured by determining what percentage of buyers can name the brand after watching the ad. For creative to work, the ad doesn’t just need to be likeable—it also needs to ensure that the right brand is remembered, and not a competitor’s brand.

So, how does b-to-b score on branding?

According to our research with System1, on average, b-to-b brand recognition is 76%. That means 24% of buyers cannot correctly identify the brand in the ad. And keep in mind this is a “forced exposure.” In the real world, where professionals are free to scroll by online or stroll by offline, actual brand recognition is almost certainly lower. According to our research, b-to-b lags b-to-c, where average brand recognition is 83%.

To be sure, b-to-b branding does seem to be getting better, with average fluency increasing from 71% to 76% over the past three years of the study. But even with those improvements, marketers could still benefit from better branding.

A new formula: ABLE

Our research and analysis paint a bleak picture of b-to-b marketing effectiveness. It also makes clear that better creative may be the single biggest opportunity in b-to-b.

Creativity is essential to getting ads noticed and remembered, but fewer than 10% of b-to-b ads are likeable enough to get noticed in the first place. And a significant percentage of those ads are not well branded enough to get linked back to the right brand. That means the total percentage of b-to-b creative that achieves both cut-through and attribution is likely in the single digits.

We need to abandon this formula and move to a new model.

To imagine what that new model could look like, we can start by analyzing how Disney makes movies. Disney studies the best-performing creative, identifies a formula and applies that formula year after year to generate consistent results: 90% of Disney’s movies are sequels or remakes; 90% include superpowered protagonists; and 50% come from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

B-to-b marketers should embrace the same ethos. Instead of getting depressed by the average scores, we need to be inspired by the best scores and replicate that formula.

The following ads can teach us what great b-to-b creativity looks like:

• This Adobe ad scored 5.3 stars and achieved 78 on brand fluency due to great music, a heartwarming story and the consistent use of strong brand assets.

• This Simply Business ad scored 3.2 stars and achieved 87 on brand fluency due to a clever script, colorful characters and excellent visual and verbal branding.

• This Intuit ad scored 3.1 stars and achieved 77 on brand fluency due to a customer-centric story, creative polish and strong—albeit late—branding.

These creatives follow a formula that looks like this: Attention × Branding × Linkage = Equity. We call this the “ABLE” formula. Without this success formula, you will be un-ABLE to make money from your creative (hopefully we can all agree that joke is five-star creative!) The formula won’t guarantee success—even Disney has the occasional flop—but we believe that it can substantially improve your odds.

First, b-to-b creative needs to get attention. The brand that’s remembered is the brand that’s bought. And you cannot possibly remember something that you never paid attention to in the first place. This is why “17% faster processing speeds” rarely works as a message. Features are boring to most buyers, and boring is bad. The job of creative is to entertain, not to educate. Make b-to-b buyers laugh or cry: That means you need catchy music, like the country soundtrack in the Adobe ad. That means you need relatable characters, like the British small-business owners in the Simply Business ad. That means you need unique imagery, like the gigantic tax inspector chickens in the Intuit ad. To capture attention, you need to stand out, not blend in.

Second, b-to-b creative needs prominent branding. You want your brand to get remembered, not your competitor’s brand. Marketers act like magicians—waiting until the last two seconds to “reveal” the brand. But 99% of buyers have stopped paying attention by that time. Instead, you need to brand early, consistently and creatively. The Adobe ad has “Adobe” on the opening frame, and almost every other frame. The Simply Business spot similarly displays the brand name within the first two seconds. The Intuit ad is a bit underbranded, but pairing the attention-grabbing storyline with more heavy-handed branding would make that creative a box office hit.

Third, b-to-b creative needs category linkage. You want the right brand to be remembered in the right buying situations, so you should feature those situations in your creative. Too often, b-to-b creative is about the product, not about why, when or where people use those products. “When you’re having trouble keeping track of invoices and feeling totally overwhelmed, think of Quickbooks”—that’s the key message of the Intuit ad, and it’s delivered in a memorable way. The Simply Business and Adobe ads also link the brand to relevant situations. That’s better than linking to a fluffy brand attribute (“innovation”) or a rational product feature (“speeds”).

B-to-b marketers should think like Disney and stick to what works. Though some might think b-to-b is all about technology and targeting, our research suggests that creativity is where you can find the biggest competitive edge. Creative confidence is growing in b-to-b, as are top-of-funnel brand investments, and the establishment of a Creative B2B Lions last year will help draw top talent to b-to-b. B-to-b is not a niche—it’s a gold mine, representing more than 50% of the economy. 

Because rhymes are more likely to be remembered, we’ll leave you with the following advice: B-to-b marketers, if you want a seat at the table, your creative must be ABLE.

This story is part of Adweek’s Creativity x Culture digital features package, which spotlights the people, marketing strategies and creativity driving lasting cultural and societal change. 

This week saw the end of multiple prestige shows, with millions speculating about how they would end. Would their conspiracy theories be fulfilled? Would their hopes be realized, or would they soon pen vitriolic tweets denouncing the writers?

As a massive fan of Succession and Ted Lasso (life is about balance), I met this week with sadness and trepidation. How do you say goodbye to shows that helped us survive the past few years of disruption and isolation? Shows that made you root for the irredeemable or hope that the eternal optimist is right? In truth, I needed both of them.

They represent so much for all of us viewers. For brands, they offer something equally as powerful: attention. The drive to be a part of these types of moments fuels budgets for Super Bowl ad buying, and the chance to jump into these moments in thoughtful, brand-aligned ways is hard but worth it when companies stick the landing.

Creating like fans

Nameberry.com, a site that recommends baby names and shares their meaning, drove millions of views across Twitter and TikTok with its name-based prediction of who would “win” in the finale of Succession, with earned media in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, MLB, Yahoo and more. The original TikTok video has nearly 500,000 views, with many loving the connection between the popular show and baseball history.

Like many creators on the platform, Nameberry found its own method for predicting who would prove victorious. It found the intersection of the brand and the show, and created relevant content like a fan, not a brand, which helped make the difference. Nameberry also made it possible for others to download the video and share it across other platforms.

Fans can tell when brands get it vs. those that act like they do. Are they truly a part of the fan base, or are they trying too hard to butt into the conversation?

Contagious content

The beauty of content is that when it resonates, you feel compelled to share it with others and become a part of a chorus of fellow fans.

Watching and discussing shows like Succession and Ted Lasso becomes a communal exercise on a specific night of the week, a tradition of scheduled consumption. Depending on what you’re watching, there is a communal cry, gasp, laugh and, eventually, closure.

This chorus of fans creates an environment where brands can nerd out too. But how do you stick the landing and avoid the dreaded “Silence, brand.” meme?

Join the conversation already happening. Be human. Ahead of the finale of Ted Lasso, Nike admitted it didn’t know how things would end, but what a ride it’s been, huh?

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Both of these ads tap into specific fan behaviors, making these communities feel seen and, ideally, building brand affinity.

The key to becoming part of a cultural moment is acknowledging that it’s not for everybody. Plenty of people don’t watch the Super Bowl or awards shows. You are resonating with the passionate: the quality in a sea of quantity.

Nike’s spot speaks to this passion in a way that has become its trademark. As the spot winds through the people of Richmond, familiar faces appear as a seemingly endless handmade AFC scarf unfurls with the message: “We don’t know what will happen, but we can go further, be braver, come back stronger. We can believe even harder, and we can change what victory looks like. We don’t know how it will end, but we know we’ve already won.”

Ted Lasso’s endless optimism and ability to transform those around him was central to a show that acted as a balm in a sad and broken Covid world. Nike’s ad celebrates the fans and nods to this feeling shared by so many.

Stories have the ability to humanize brands, making them relatable and memorable. They create a sense of authenticity and build trust by sharing experiences, values and aspirations. When brands effectively utilize storytelling, they can forge an emotional bond with their audience, sparking conversations, generating loyalty and fostering a sense of community.

It’s the brands that use storytelling and speak with the heart of a fan that capture attention.

People build companies. Period.

No matter how great your product or service is, the talent you hire and retain will always make or break your success. Your marketing talent in particular is crucial to your growth and, now more than ever, with 61% of Americans looking to leave their current jobs, chief marketing officers and chief executive officers must proactively nurture their top performers to combat attrition.

Why are marketers leaving their jobs?

In February 2022, I wrote a blog post predicting that the “mass exodus” of 2021 would continue throughout 2022. Unfortunately, I could write this same post today about 2023, especially as it relates to marketing departments. Here’s why.

D-to-c has plummeted. When we were stuck in our homes two years ago, d-to-c companies thrived (and hired) because of the convenience they provided. With consumer spending shifting back to experiences vs. commerce, the industry is struggling, and so are the marketers who have dedicated the past three plus years of their careers to growing these businesses.

Ad costs are astronomical. With Facebook ad costs rising by 89% and TikTok’s CPM rising by 92%, digital marketers are feeling discouraged. They are trying to find new channels for growth but they can’t hit the ROI metrics found in digital and found in the past five-plus years of the booming economy.

Economic uncertainty. During recessions, marketing headcount and budgets are usually the first to be slashed. The result is frustration and low morale inside marketing departments. As a recruiting firm focused on hiring marketing leadership and teams, our inbox is flooded with people looking to leave their jobs thinking that the grass is greener elsewhere.

Burn out. Let’s face it. Marketing is hard. People are still coming off of the pandemic, trying to figure out WFH or office, and sorting through how important work is in their lives. A burnt-out employee is a tough employee to manage and retain and we are seeing all levels of marketers exhausted with what the past few years have delivered to them.

Keep top talent happy

The interesting thing about the past few years is that with all the fatigue and uncertainty, great marketers have stretched their skills and learned new technologies which are making the best talent, in extremely high demand. So the question becomes, how do you retain your top marketing talent?

Prioritize wellbeing

It may seem elementary, but a commitment to holistic employee wellness is crucial to keeping talent engaged. Given that low engagement is responsible for a $7.8 billion loss in the global economy, CEOs and CMOs must recognize that well-being programs are essential to boosting revenue.

There are three aspects of employee well-being that should be considered when thinking about how to retain talent:

• Mental well-being refers to how employees view themselves within your organization. Are they confident in your company’s mission and vision? Are they given feedback that boosts their self-esteem? Do they feel secure in their roles? Don’t just assume what they need to uplevel their happiness; ask them what’s working and what’s not working, both as it relates to the company at large and to you as their manager.
• Physical health. When WFH was the norm two years ago, it was easy for employees to remain active and make time for daily exercise. With many companies switching back to hybrid/in-office, this flexibility has severely decreased. Physical health is directly related not only to mental health, but also to productivity and improved cognitive function. CEOs and CMOs should not only encourage their teams to take time for physical activity, but they should also ensure that company culture allows for this time to be taken.
• Social interaction. One of the biggest benefits of the return to hybrid/in-office work is the social aspect. For the past three years, remote workers have struggled with loneliness and isolation. Social interaction plays a significant role in employee happiness, which means that CEOs and CMOs at companies that are still fully remote or hybrid, have to make a conscious effort to provide their teams with the opportunity to interact meaningfully with their coworkers (beyond 15-minute Zoom happy hours).

Make time for career pathing

An alarming 71% of employees are unhappy with the career advancement opportunities in their companies. Your people are your power and if you don’t carve out time for them, you’ll lose out. Do you know where your team members want to be in 12 months? 24 months? Five years? Do you have the support infrastructure to get them there?

Take the time to look at your learning & development strategy. Do you have one? Do you need to bring in an outside resource? The percentage of learning and development professionals working with corporate executives has grown to 50% in the past year, as upleveling has emerged as a top priority for employees.

Pay up

The average salary is expected to increase by 4.1% in 2023, the largest increase in 15 years. It may feel like with the economy slowing so should the rise in salaries, but with inflation continuing to rise, and great talent in high demand, you need to pay up to retain your talent. Certainly, the above bullets are critical but money does as well and it is essential you consider what the competition may pay to recruit your marketing leader or top team member and get proactive to match that.

Define their purpose

Help people understand the value they bring to a company and why what they do matters. Why what they do matters to the customers they serve, the team they surround themselves with and the overall economy and global landscape. People are seeking purpose more than ever and it is critical that CEOs and CMOs continuously reinforce the meaning behind their team’s work.

Ultimately, your people are the secret to your growth and people don’t leave companies unless they are unhappy. Recruiting is getting easier right now because we are seeing so many people not feeling satisfied. If you truly take the time to listen to what your people need and take actionable steps to meet or exceed those needs, you can both hold onto your current rockstars and attract new talent to build a loyal team of all-star marketers.

In the past few years, the entertainment spotlight has turned to the AAPI community, and momentum is continuing to build for Asian-centric stories, films, music and entertainment. We have seen Everything Everywhere All at Once, Nomadland and Parasite win the Academy Award for Best Picture. We have also witnessed the growing influence and popularity of K-pop music, K-dramas and Asian films across the globe.

This is an incredibly exciting time for brand marketers. We have numerous opportunities to engage with consumers, as well as drive culture. Diversity adds to the rich cultural fabric of America; different communities interact and impact one another to shape our world. And by supporting cultural expression, we drive society toward a more equitable future.

As Toyota’s agency of record for AAPI consumer segments, we are always on the lookout for emerging cultural trends. When we started work for Toyota back in 2004, K-pop and K-drama were still niche subcultures in America. But we began to integrate them into our brand efforts and continue to do so today in other multicultural segments.

Today’s robust appreciation of AAPI culture offers brand marketers an excellent opportunity to leverage cultural phenomena to establish even deeper connections with consumers. Here are five ways to do just that.

Embrace cultural events

Brands can embrace the rich and multifaceted cultures that surround us today. Take, for instance, KCon, America’s largest K-pop event. It draws 40% Asian participants and 60% non-Asian attendees.

We saw the opportunity when Hallyu—translated to Korean Wave, it’s the rise in interest around Korean culture, television and music—began in the early 2010s and jumped onto the platform. Through an integrated approach of event activations, content, and artist and influencer collaborations, we have been engaging the fans to build brand affinity and connection.

Nowadays we are seeing more Asian influence in pop culture. Anime, drifting and esports all have their roots in Asia but have now become mainstream cultural phenomena. As brand marketers, we must recognize these as opportunities to remain relevant and resonate with our consumers.

Dig for deep cultural understanding

It may seem obvious but can be easily overlooked: Deep understanding of the consumer is key, as well as consistency.

We carry out extensive research to identify not only what drives consumers, but also why. This goes beyond traditional research to include first-hand immersion in trends and subcultures to help us really understand fans’ behaviors and motivations.

Asian consumers’ passion for music, food and entertainment allows them to share their identity with others, forging deeper connections. By understanding this motivation, we are able to create authentic brand opportunities.

Account for cultural nuance

It’s important to keep in mind that each multicultural segment is not a monolith and has different subcultures and nuances that need to be approached separately.

For example, we’ve shown our support through initiatives including 88Rising, the South Asian Film Festival, Minor League Cricket, Make Noise Today and more. We have partnered with Disney’s Turning Red and influencers such as Tan France to showcase their talents and our support for the community.

For our latest brand campaign work for Toyota, we took it further with the understanding that Asian American consumers’ deepest motivation is to be free to pursue their goals and dreams. We developed a campaign to demonstrate that Toyota understands and empowers them to take action to start their “day one” in pursuing their aspirations.

With overarching brand messaging, we deployed multiple platforms including social media, events and media partnerships to ensure we are reaching all diverse subgroups in an authentic and meaningful way.

Stay consistent

Toyota has invested in the Asian American segment since 2004. The brand has evolved with our consumers over the years while maintaining a consistent brand voice. This increases credibility, affinity and sales, which is invaluable and also allows us to continue to expand our efforts.

Be your best authentic brand self

In the world of marketing, the word “authentic” is to 2023 what “viral” was to 2012. And as tough as it is to go viral, it shares the same similarities as being authentic in a campaign.

It’s to have your audience feel truly connected to your brand and what it stands for without feeling like they’re being sold to. Now, more than ever, consumers are looking for brands with quality products because there are so many options to choose from. So, what makes your brand different from the competition?

Consumers are looking for values and passion points that align with theirs to better understand the “why” behind a brand’s story. They are looking for a real connection. Similar to any other relationship, there needs to be consistent presence and effort to maintain and elevate that relationship.

We’re glad to see the rise in AAPI appreciation is not something we have encountered along the road; it’s the destination itself. Driving culture is the roadmap to both societal and brand success.

After decades of working on sustainability with heavy industries, I’ve had the pleasure of taking a deep dive into the advertising sector over the past 18 months. While I was initially surprised that an issue as well established as climate was new to the sector, I’ve been very impressed with the seriousness with which many leading ad companies have been taking concrete action.

They are joining the rest of the world, particularly in creating and verifying their greenhouse gas emissions inventories, setting science-based net zero targets, taking steps to reduce emissions and offsetting the remaining emissions with carbon removal project investments. 

Excitingly, in addition to reducing their own emissions, the advertising industry plays a uniquely important role by influencing behaviors aligned with climate action around the globe. But the kryptonite to this superpower takes the form of confusion, opportunism and lack of coordinated action. 

The good news is that there has been a flurry of activity and sincere interest in addressing climate, starting with the creation of Ad Net Zero in November 2020, initially focused on the U.K. then raising awareness globally, and recently creating a U.S. chapter in February 2023. Their five-point action plan starts with having every ad company inventory and report their greenhouse gas emissions and setting science-based targets to achieve net zero.

Similar to the life cycle assessment approach that most brands use to understand and reduce their environmental impacts, the Action Plan also addresses emissions from ad production (in partnership with AdGreen) and from the distribution and display of ads (in partnership with WFA’s Global Alliance for Responsible Media). These important efforts are being supported and complemented by other key advertising associations including IAB Tech Lab, Prebid, ANA and the 4As. 

While there clearly is great potential for the ad sector to help all of us take meaningful climate action, there are a number of perils that can jeopardize these important and necessary changes. There has been widespread confusion about climate terms (e.g., carbon neutral versus net zero), unsubstantiated claims and competing ways of estimating carbon emissions, leading to a Tower of Babel situation that can undermine the trust essential for key stakeholders, some of whom may write off these efforts as greenwashing. 

Unfortunately, the majority of what I have seen of the efforts to quantify and reduce emissions so far would not be taken seriously by climate experts, including those at major brands. Part of the problem is that many in the ad sector have tried to reinvent the wheel within the confines of their competitive landscape, rather than realize that virtually all of the key questions have already been answered through similar processes in other sectors.

The best way to meet everyone’s goals is through precompetitive collaboration, both within the ad sector and across all of the key climate stakeholder groups. 

I am very optimistic that this awkward growth phase will quickly pass through faster and deeper collaboration. Beyond the strong start in working across the people and organizations already in the ad sector, it is critical to bring sustainability experts into the process. Climate NGOs, consultants and, above all, the brand experts—who will be paying the costs, directly or indirectly, of ad decarbonization—who have been working on climate for decades can quickly align the ad sector’s actions with established best practices.

This collaboration can avoid unnecessary cycles and mitigate the risk that all the sincere hard work going into these efforts will be rejected by advertisers, regulators and investors because existing standards and best practices were not followed. 

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with more than 10 chief sustainability officers and climate executives for major brands. None of them have explored the decarbonization of marketing and advertising, but all of them have committed to reach out to their chief marketing officers to provide expert support. This collaboration with climate experts can address a number of key issues. 

Education 

Climate is a new, complex topic with its own terminology, standards and ecosystem, so those in the ad sector who want to be part of meaningful progress need training and support. I spoke at a green media summit recently, and the top requested action item from across a wide variety of stakeholders was climate education. 

Fortunately, there are many existing resources from leading climate NGOs (e.g., The Greenhouse Gas Protocol) and from the ad sector (e.g., Ad Net Zero). If you are part of a brand, you have climate expert colleagues who would be happy to engage if you reach out to them. 

Verification 

In my world, it is self-evident that no one should make claims or accept claims from others without reputable third-party verification. It’s astonishing to see how many ad firms are putting out emissions figures or making claims about being “green,” “carbon neutral” or “net zero” without any serious, transparent third-party verification. It’s even more astonishing how others in the sector seem to believe these unsubstantiated claims. 

Climate experts understand the importance of verification and can help you with the mechanics. It’s just like making sure your financial and performance data can be accepted by your stakeholders. 

Transparency 

Brands should require in their contracting terms that every company in their advertising value chain with significant revenues (e.g., over $100 million) create a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, have it verified by a reputable third-party (for less than the cost of a cocktail party) and disclose the inventory publicly through a well-recognized platform, such as CDP, The Climate Registry or the Global Reporting Initiative.

This action will quickly align the sector with the rest of the world, help ad companies become aware of their own impact and create the data needed to have more accurate estimates of ad campaign impacts. 

One of the reasons I’m optimistic is that OpenX recently demonstrated how quickly the ad sector can move by becoming not just the first certified carbon-neutral company in the industry but the first company in the world to meet the Science Based Technology initiative (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard. That fact has really impressed the climate community, demonstrating that the ad sector is serious about climate and making collaboration more attractive. 

As much as those of you in advertising feel like you may need climate experts, the truth is that we are the ones who really need you: You have a superpower that we generally, painfully, lack—the ability to change behavior. We need to work together, now, to have a chance to avoid the worst of the complex, planet-wide impacts of climate change. The ad industry will play a critical role in changing behaviors everywhere, becoming a hero on the path to net zero in record time. 

We spend so much time looking at images, especially in our industry. We’re consuming them and creating them at a mind-boggling rate. There’s even AI opening up a score of new possibilities.

But it’s still important to look to the world around us and find images as they unfold in real, everyday life.

The images happening all around us, in our own little lives and adventures, are the ones to look out for. Naturally, they’re the ones with authenticity and humanity at the center, and that’s what we’re constantly trying to recreate for brands. So although it may be easier than ever to manufacture an image, we can’t let ourselves forget how the real thing is supposed to feel.

A familiar energy

I was born in the Philippines but moved to the U.S. while still a toddler, never really knowing my birthplace and visiting only once as a teenager. Recently, I decided to return, but this time with a curiosity and desire to reconnect with my roots.

What I found was a familiar energy permeating the place, its people, plants and the vibrant colors of everyday life. It was actually a warmth I’d felt before, present in my Filipino American upbringing in Chicago. A feeling I hope to capture in these photos.

The playful nature of the place kept things loose and reminded me not to take things so seriously.

Color isn’t shy in the Philippines. It makes itself known in everything from objects, to what people wear, to plants.

Everywhere I looked, there was a bit of charm even in the most modest of places.

I felt an abundance of warmth and generosity from the people and the culture, which allowed me to feel at home.

When cases started to pop up of AI-generated images winning art and photography contests, social media exploded with the usual debates.

After all, AI already has a tenuous relationship with creatives who are afraid of being replaced. Others don’t like the idea of the technology being used to deceive. And then there are those excited for disruption, sparking conversations about how high-quality AI-generated content might be used to marketers’ advantage.

One thing is certain: the rapid advancement of AI will lead to a massive abundance of online content. When it becomes incredibly easy to create lots of high-quality video, art and text, content creators and brands will take advantage.

What’s less certain is how this influx will impact the way we value or consume social media content. Will the bad actors using these tools chip away at people’s trust? Will the democratization of quality content make it harder to stand out on social media? Will a natural lack of quality control cause interest in social media to stagnate as a result?

In addressing these concerns, influencers may have a big part to play. Since TikTok’s discovery-based algorithms became the envy of (and model for) most major platforms, creators with big followings began competing with micro-influencers (influencers with a follower count within the range of 10K–100K followers). In fact, the relationship between follower counts and view counts on any specific piece of content seems less relevant now than it has in the past.

And it’s not just TikTok. We see this on YouTube, on Instagram with Reels and on Twitter feeds that now prioritize popular content over accounts followed.

But driven by the rise of AI-generated content, these major creators may find new roles and responsibilities as consumers look to them to become thought leaders and editors, perhaps even more so than the social media platforms themselves.

A new calling

Of course, not all influencers are suited to this AI content-filled social media landscape, like those who try to game the system, manipulate the algorithms to surface their content and jump on whatever the hack-of-the-day is to get reach. But for those who are focused on their craft and who play the long game of putting out quality content day after day, their stronger relationships with their audiences will be invaluable.

That’s because the influencers who are building long-term, trusting relationships with audiences are the ones who will benefit when the truth is in question. When information is commoditized and perspectives flood the internet generated en-masse by AI, who do you trust?

You trust the people who you already have relationships with, are authentic and care about putting out quality content. Even as platforms prioritize discovery, this will almost certainly put a renewed spotlight on creators invested in building communities, not just chasing views.

Refocusing on creators and influencers with bigger followings will also have the downstream effect of causing many influencers to become brands. This is obviously already happening; influencers like Logan Paul launching Prime and Mr. Beast selling Beast Burgers. But as people put even more of their trust in these types of creators, whether for guidance on food, fashion, music, beauty, politics, health or fitness, this is only going to increase and eventually challenge more traditional brands.

Getting prepared

As AI-generated content exerts its influence on social media and audiences turn to influencers, both brands and agencies should be thinking about creators as more than one-off or even long-term partners on the marketing side. Rather, they should look at how they can partner with creators and influencers on creating products and constructing relationships with creators where there is shared equity so that creators truly feel ownership and inclusion in the product’s success.

For example, the home organizers from The Home Edit leveraged their social presence, landing them a Netflix show, which then led them to partner on a few product lines with Walmart and The Container Store. This not only drove sales for each brand but increased the breadth of The Home Edit’s audience. Years (and Emmy nominations) later, their followers still feel super connected to the two founders and their staff because of their honest and open approach on social media.

Influencer Emma Chamberlain and clothing brand PacSun have struck similar partnerships over the years, collaborating closely to create a specific line that reflected her style, with Chamberlain acting as the creative director. Emma promoted the partnership heavily via PacSun’s TikTok, through her own channels and by starring in PacSun’s VR game/experience. This drove PacSun’s success on social, helping them grow faster than Old Navy, Abercrombie and American Eagle.

For agencies, building these sorts of partnerships means fundamentally shifting their thinking. Partnering with influencers who are launching brands, but also developing more innovative marketing approaches to appeal to influencers who innately understand marketing in 2023.

On the brand side, agencies can also help navigate more meaningful partnerships between influencers and bigger companies, playing a larger role in negotiating and strengthening the synergy between both entities. Lastly, influencers and marketers must rededicate themselves to champion honesty and authenticity in a social media marketing world where trust is the primary metric and the health of online discourse is at stake.

The alternative is for both parties to act as competitors and lose out on a huge opportunity for collaboration. After all, AI-generated content is here to stay and is likely to become even more integral to our social media ecosystem. So, brands and influencers should step up now and embrace the new roles, responsibilities and opportunities that are sure to reshape influencer marketing’s future.