Last year, Sweden again emerged as a leader in the Global Innovation Index. So, what does Sweden know that the rest of the world doesn’t? One possible answer is a single word: lagom. The concept of lagom has influenced Swedish culture for centuries. But for marketers, lagom provides the key to unlocking innovation through agile… https://www.adweek.com/creativity/3-ways-the-swedish-concept-of-lagom-will-revolutionize-your-creative-agency/

These days, it seems like most studios are going in and out of business as quickly as NYC restaurants. It’s no secret that work is slow as brands begin to tighten spending by taking work in-house or exploring other strategies. While most production studios are struggling, animation-focused studios are doubling revenue quarter to quarter. So,… https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/4-reasons-why-animation-studios-are-flourishing-while-live-action-video-struggles/

They say print is dead. They gave their eulogies and laid it to rest. But I wouldn’t say my goodbyes so soon. Consider vinyl. Records were supposed to die at least three deaths: at the hands of the 8-track, the cassette tape and the looming CD. By the rise of MP3s, they should’ve been as… https://www.adweek.com/agencies/think-print-is-dying-just-look-to-vinyls-for-evidence-to-the-contrary/

Disruption is a familiar term in advertising, but there’s one modern development that’s had a bigger impact on advertising than anything before it. Surprise! It’s social media. The introduction of social has not only changed the way ads are distributed, but it’s changed the way we interact with them. To engage today’s social audience is… https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/3-ways-to-break-through-the-social-noise-and-shape-a-strategy-that-resonates-with-audiences/

The ad industry has been talking about diversity and inclusion for years. But after decades of critical thought, we’re still not there yet. So, what are we missing? What haven’t we tried? What can bridge the gap between the world we see now and the world we want to see? Equity. Not to be confused… https://www.adweek.com/agencies/to-further-embrace-diversity-agencies-need-to-focus-on-equity/

The implementation of GDPR places many uncomfortable limitations on the digital advertising marketplace for both business operations working within and outside the countries that span the EU. But looking past the squeeze GDPR puts on our business practices or the posturing and righteous rhetoric of those companies that have thrown huge amounts of dollars toward… https://www.adweek.com/digital/8-ways-gdpr-is-course-correcting-the-digital-ad-world/

Product packaging is one of the oldest branding disciplines. Now, packaging is increasingly becoming a storytelling medium, especially in a nascent industry like recreational cannabis. Gone are the days of selling buds and brownies in tiny zipper bags: Cannabis packaging is more sophisticated than ever before. Brands that do it right are creating marketing history… https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-cannabis-manufacturers-tell-a-story-through-their-sophisticated-packaging/

It may seem counterintuitive that, in order to make a more human connection with consumers, we’ve found ourselves using machines to be less machine-like. However, in order to remain human-centered amid today’s plethora of technologies and platforms, digital agencies need to teach brands how to utilize data to be more human: to behave more like… https://www.adweek.com/digital/how-brands-can-use-data-to-bridge-the-gap-between-human-and-machine/

Gartner’s prediction that CMOs will outspend CIOs on technology is now a fact: CMOs will use 12 percent of their company’s revenue on marketing technologies in 2018. It makes sense. Just as a consumer would look to Yelp before going to a restaurant, prospects today do research before talking to sales, meaning the marketing department… https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/as-the-industry-evolves-its-time-for-cmos-to-act-like-ceos/

The digital advertising landscape has recently looked a lot like a minefield, thanks to fraud concerns, brand safety issues and the rise of ad blockers. For those reasons, Forrester predicted last year that CMOs would shift $2.9 billion away from display ads in 2018. These hard realities accent why defining moments should become a central… https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/these-4-brands-are-thriving-at-defining-moments/