Are you cool enough to be a marketer? 😎
What’s the hardest thing to teach about marketing and social media?
I’ve been teaching communications in a university setting for five years. And I can tell you, it’s this:
How to be cool.
There’s almost nothing worse than a brand that’s out-of-touch.
You know the ones… the brands that miss the mark on trends, can’t read the room, or make forced attempts to be relevant.
Brand managers are largely responsible for how your company is perceived. This means they often make the call on what’s cool vs. cringe (so yes, C-suite execs— trust your marketing team).
But the thing is, understanding trends, cultural shifts, and consumer behavior isn’t something you do once. You don’t take a course and become certifiably in-the-know.
It’s fluid, constant, and ever-changing.
This makes our jobs even harder, but also more interesting.
Thankfully, VICE just released their 2023 Guide to Culture. All 135 pages are worth reading, but here are some highlights I appreciated:
- We’re embracing slower lifestyles. Goodbye, hustle culture! We’re taking breaks and slowing things down. This has also led to increased popularity in “slow exercise” like Pilates (my fave!) and barre classes vs. HIIT.
- Self-care is a priority. I don’t know about you, but self-care wasn’t even in my vocabulary growing up as a millennial. Gen Z believes the only way to be your best is to take care of yourself.
- It’s okay to be sad. Social media is no longer a highlight reel. We’re embracing vulnerability and bonding in sadness. Personally, I’ve been weeping over this sweet (but sad!) fan moment from an Adele concert.
This report inspired me to release a new series on my podcast called Making the Brand News.
Every Monday, I’m keeping you up-to-date on pop culture and industry trends. Check out the first episode here!
And when you have the time, you have to review the VICE guide. It’s sure to spark some ideas and make you feel like a cool marketer 💁🏻♀️
| READ: 2023 Guide to Culture |
Headline of the Week 📰
It's not just traditional celebrities who sometimes pay their good fortune forward... creators do, too.
The world's most popular individual YouTuber, Mr. Beast, helped 1,000 visually impaired people see again by paying for their cataract surgery.
I was so inspired by this story, I became one of Mr. Beast's 131 MILLION YouTube subscribers.
If you need some feel-good news, this will brighten your day.
| WATCH: Blind People Get their Sight Back |
Throwback Thursday ⏪
The new How I Met Your Father series is back for season 2, and I forgot just how adorable Hilary Duff is.
Let's go back in time to watch her Ice Breakers Liquid Ice commercial from 2005. It's not nearly as iconic as the Jessica/Ashlee Simpson version, but it's close.
You may also appreciate these old Candies ads Hilary did 😍 Other stars who partnered with Candies include Britney Spears, Vanessa Hudgens, Kelly Clarkson, Ciara, and more.
| WATCH: 2005 Ice Breakers Commercial |
New Episode! Making the Brand 💜
Did you know 43.46 MILLION vinyl albums were sold in 2022?!
I wonder how many copies of Taylor Swift's Midnights are a part of that stat...
In a new episode of Making the Brand, I chat with Nick Alt, the CEO and founder of VNYL — a vinyl record membership club that sends you uniquely curated music every month!
We discuss why we've seen a resurgence in this music pastime and how listening vinyl records can be such a better experience than streaming 😍
| Listen Here: The Magic of Vinyl Records |
Are you a vinyl record lover? Making the Brand listeners can try VNYL at a discounted rate! Click here to give it a whirl 💕
As always, thanks for letting me hang out in your inbox!