On Google Trends, toilet paper spiked in the “interest over time” category from one out of 100 in February to 100 out of 100 by March 17th. Coronavirus has impacted many industries for a number of reasons, but none seems to have caused more chatter and raised more eyebrows than the public’s run on toilet [...]
The popularity of meal kits has waxed and waned over the last several years, but the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency has shoppers who are stuck at home turning to meal kits as an easy alternative to hitting the grocery store every few days. Recently, Blue Apron stocks soared more than 529%. Other meal kit brands have [...]
Facebook recently announced a pilot program that allows users to link their brand loyalty and rewards accounts to their Facebook accounts, with in-app activity on Facebook generating loyalty points and promotions. This system also allows brands to offer better ad targeting and personalization directly in users’ Facebook feeds, highlighting perk status and insider promotions. For [...]
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to tremendous disruption in many industries, either because businesses are being forced to close or because employees are social distancing and unable to work. However, there are companies using this difficult time to exhibit commendable corporate social responsibility (CSR), by using the resources their companies already have to make [...]
As concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19) grew more serious at the beginning of March, and medical professionals began imploring people to practice social distancing and eventually self isolation, the message didn’t seem to be reaching younger generations. Many Gen Zers were seen congregating in Florida beaches and bars over spring break, accompanied by cringey interviews of [...]
eMarketer recently released its latest ranking of which of the nation’s top retailers will dominate ecommerce in 2020. All of the retailers are well-known businesses that have refined the qualities consumers prefer when shopping online. The last several years of online retail growth have shown consumers want frictionless, quality experiences, with convenient shipping or pick-up [...]
By late February, news about the severity of coronavirus was being broadcast around the world, and many people began to respond with social distancing and avoiding crowded places, immediately impacting businesses globally. Since self-isolation began, there has been a corresponding jump in online sales and ecommerce ad spend, which nearly doubled as news about coronavirus [...]
Pinterest moved up the launch of its “Today” feature, a tab on the social media platform where users can find out what’s trending across the world and the Pinterest network. The social media site has seen increased usage since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, and it wants to offer its users daily inspiration [...]
Telehealth, services in which medical professionals offer health-related advice via phone, video or app, may be a necessity during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic because of the highly contagious nature of the virus and an overwhelmed healthcare system. For people who aren’t sure if their symptoms are COVID-19 or have another illness they need a doctor for [...]
Alcohol brands, distilleries and breweries have had to get creative during the coronavirus pandemic, as self-isolation and state restrictions prevent many from operating business as usual. While some brands and businesses may have to close temporarily, many are offering unique virtual experiences, trying to maximize delivery opportunities or pivoting to help manufacture desperately needed supplies [...]
A year ago, Snapchat stirred up excitement at their Partner Summit event with the preview of App Stories, and the story-sharing feature has finally arrived. An article in Engadget about the launch said, “App Stories, [is] a feature that allows third-party apps to post Stories created in the Snapchat app to their services.”Which Third-Party Apps [...]
TikTok, already a wildly popular app with 1.7 billion downloads as of February 2020, has seen a recent surge in popularity during coronavirus quarantines, particularly with bored kids stuck at home. TikTok is the go-to app for Gen Z, and competitors like YouTube are anxious to capture the younger audiences hooked on the short-form videos [...]
While isolating during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis many consumers are turning to food delivery options instead of regularly going to grocery stores. Food delivery options include major grocery stores, meal kits and bulk meat and seafood orders from brands like Omaha Steaks and Wild Alaskan Company. Wild Alaskan Company founder Arron Kallenberg said the company experienced record-breaking [...]
Self-isolation can best be described as both incredibly boring and strangely taxing, perhaps even more so for people balancing work, kids and the worry that comes with a global pandemic. For many people, finding an opportunity to work-out during the day has offered a respite from the strangeness of self-isolation. An article in The Atlantic summarizes [...]
The restaurant industry is one of the sectors most gravely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Many restaurants shuttered or closed temporarily, but others adapted to take-out only policies that continue to provide revenue and employ staff. "It doesn't matter if you're a big chain or a small corner diner, you're seeing the impact immediately," said [...]
Along with so many other things that were a regular part of Americans’ daily lives, professional sports have been put on hold while the country weathers the coronavirus crisis and practices social distancing. Despite not knowing when professional sports teams will return to regular play, ESPN and the NBA are still trying to come up [...]
A lot has changed since most of America began self-isolating because of the coronavirus pandemic. From exercising at home to figuring out how to shop for groceries online, Americans are adapting and adjusting everyday. And in some cases, consumers are reverting to old eating habits they thought they’d left behind with college and ska music. [...]
Scrolling through Facebook on the first night of Passover, users likely saw comments from friends lamenting “the smallest Pesach table” they’ve ever set or “Happy Passover! We’re making the best of it.” The coronavirus crisis (COVID-19) has required social distancing and self-isolation that prevents gatherings of anyone outside of immediate households, which means no gatherings [...]
As soon as Americans started self isolating en masse, social media lit up with ideas on how to use all the extra time so many of us would now have. Many, many people made bread, while others took up knitting, working out or learning new languages. According to a Business Insider article on popular language-learning startup [...]
As recently as early 2020, marketing insiders were predicting that advertising spend for mobile search would finally overtake desktop in 2021, but that was before the coronavirus pandemic came ashore and changed everything. Desktop search is up. Mobile search is down. But will it last?Why Are More Americans Using Their Desktops?Now that many Americans are working [...]
As brands recalibrate during the coronavirus pandemic, adapting to new expectations from consumers and the “new normal,” one thing seems to be clear: purpose-driven marketing campaigns are favored by many consumers and may be more likely to find success after this crisis is over. How to effectively launch purpose-driven campaigns, while still being true to [...]
In response to the social distancing and quarantines required because of coronavirus, many Americans stocked up on essentials like toilet paper, hand sanitizer and canned goods. However, a legitimate concern for many during this crisis is access to their prescriptions, due to self-isolation and worries about the medicine supply chain being impacted. In response to consumer [...]
Although frontline workers are busy saving lives during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most people are at home with a lot of time on their hands. While self-isolating, many bored Americans are using the opportunity to tackle home improvement projects. Hardware stores are allowed to stay open while many other retail stores are closed, because they [...]
Brands all over the country are adjusting and adapting to the changes brought on by coronavirus. From difficult shifts in company financials to customers stuck at home, most brands are dealing with factors they hadn’t accounted for when making their marketing plans for 2020. Despite these unexpected setbacks, brands are moving forward with campaigns and [...]
Typically, Earth Day is an opportunity to get outside and help in communities, participate in rallies and appreciate the beauty of planet earth. This year, social distancing due to coronavirus means Earth Day activities must move online. It may not be possible to celebrate shoulder to shoulder, but people from around the globe can still [...]
Influencer marketing, like so many aspects of marketing and advertising right now, is undergoing course corrections because of the coronavirus epidemic. Although all marketing relies on consumer response, influencer marketing, at its heart, depends on consumers believing the story that’s being told. Influencers sell aspirational messages, sometimes of hope and perseverance, but more often of [...]
Since mid-March, professional sports have been on an indefinite hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. So what’s a sports network, athlete or sports fan to do? Get creative. ESPN is relying on creative content from fans and players to keep engagement up, and athletes from every sport have taken to Instagram and other outlets to [...]
Behaviors change during a crisis, especially when everyone is stuck at home as they currently are because of coronavirus (COVID-19). These shifting behaviors are evident when analyzing what everyone is searching for on Google. Overall, “how to” searches are climbing while people are in quarantine. This activity indicates that people are actively trying to learn how [...]
Google announced last week that it will be expanding its identity verification program to include all advertisers. The first iteration of the Google identity verification program was rolled out in 2018 and was launched to encourage transparency in political advertisements. The new version will likely serve a similar purpose, rooting out bad actors and offering [...]
Someday this period of self-isolation will be over, and though we don’t know when that will be, one thing is certain: there will be many stories to tell. Some serious, some funny, and a lot about managing homeschool. Parents worldwide have gone from being parents to being educators, counselors, coaches, referees and parents. (And many [...]
It is a very serious time for retailers. Many have been forced to close their doors and furlough or lay off workers in order to stop the spread of coronavirus and maintain social distancing. However, the good news is that online retailers, especially retailers with significant digital footprints, are finding success as consumers move most [...]
App usage is up. Around the world, people are stuck at home, and the required closing of many stores has moved new groups of consumers to shop online and opt for delivery instead of going out to stores. And, of course, everyone is looking for entertainment to pass the time. This coronavirus-related shift in behaviors has led [...]
NBCUniversal (NBCU) recently announced it was moving up the launch of its Checkout platform. Checkout allows consumers to make purchases from NBCU partners without leaving the NBCU world, whether it’s via branded content, shoppable videos or editorial. “This is a really unique opportunity for a native shopping experience embedded in content,” said Josh Feldman, EVP [...]
Mitto, a Swiss communications technology brand, recently released results of their April survey gauging “consumer attitudes and preferences towards brands’ communications with them [consumers] during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The survey included 7,000 consumers in seven different regions around the world and found that 41% of consumers are ready for brands to start talking about something [...]
There are more and more ways for brands to advertise, but email remains one of the most reliable and effective means of communicating that advertisers have at their disposal, whether choosing CPM or CPA email campaign strategies. According to Emarketer, more than 90% of internet users in the U.S. use email, and email is a preferred [...]
Facebook recently announced the launch of Facebook Shops and Instagram Shop, new ecommerce platforms that allow brands to sell directly from Facebook or Instagram. “This is the biggest step that we’ve taken yet to enable commerce across our family of apps,” said Dan Levy, VP of Ads and Business Platform at Facebook.Why Did Facebook Create Ecommerce [...]
Digital banks, also known as challenger banks and neobanks, are gaining in popularity. Particularly during coronavirus, when the ability to move freely has been inhibited because of quarantines, consumers have leaned into mobile first and digital solutions. Chime, a digital bank, offered advanced lending of stimulus checks through their overdraft program and saw its highest [...]
The NewFronts, like TV’s upfronts, are a chance for advertisers to see what creative content is scheduled for the upcoming season. In this case, via digital video and streaming services. Sponsored by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), this year’s NewFronts will be live-streamed June 22-26 and will be a reflection of all the ways in [...]
Pest control companies are need-based services that must stay top of mind for consumers with differentiated services, industry expertise and memorable marketing campaigns. Eco-Wise Pest Control And TruTech Provide Unique ServicesMany pest-control companies do similar things, making brand awareness and perceived differentiation important parts of helping consumers choose businesses when problems start buzzing around. Within the [...]
Summer is nearly here, and as quickly as everyone complained about the cold, they will lament the heat. This year, air conditioned homes will feel essential, especially for people without pools or backyards, as more people are working from home and not enjoying the cool temperatures of office buildings. However, full HVAC units aren’t always [...]
A recent deep dive into auto warranty inquiries in 2019 revealed that the top three car brands with the most cars currently on the road in America are Chevrolet, Ford and Nissan. These heritage brands have massive brand awareness after existing in the minds of American consumers for decades, but creative advertising campaigns and multichannel strategies [...]
It’s hard to believe that prior to 2004 the internet was barely a factor in presidential elections. Now, digital engagement, including online fundraising, social media and email outreach, are absolutely essential to any robust fundraising strategies for political campaigns. Targeted, proactive engagement of opted-in supporters, without taking a one-size-fits-all approach, is the likeliest way to [...]
The need for many people to stay home the last several months, and most likely, stay close to home this summer, has increased sales of pools, home services and gardening products. In particular, planting vegetables, like during previous financial crises in America, has caught the attention of many new and lapsed gardeners. Seed and garden [...]
Inclusivity and representation are goals across the nation, from playgrounds to boardrooms. And, many brands share that responsibility and commit to highlighting diversity, including the LGBTQ community, with Pride-focused marketing campaigns. During Pride this year, many brands are stepping up, creating purpose-driven campaigns and products that illustrate their commitment to equal rights and representation, and [...]
After nearly three months of quarantines around the country, many businesses are reopened or planning to reopen. A recent survey, Impact of COVID-19 on National, Brick-and-Mortar Brands: A Study of Consumer Behavior, Preferences,and Expectations Amid COVID-19 by software company Momentfeed, surveyed 1,000 people to better understand how generations of consumers may react to business openings [...]
In the wake of nationwide protests demanding justice and equal rights for black communities in America, many concerned citizens were looking for ways to help. Brands, activists and community leaders were quick to generate lists of nonprofits and charities working directly with black communities to increase diversity, inclusion and understanding across all institutions in America. Here [...]
The last several years have seen a lot of changes and innovations in the automotive industry, including car shares, car subscriptions, the rise of car tech and driverless cars. And, after months of social distancing, new consumer behaviors are shaping trends that will impact the automotive industry and car buying as we enter the “new [...]
In April, Google Discovery ads were made available to advertisers worldwide, after a year of testing. Google Discovery ads offer opportunities to advertisers across the Google universe, with the potential to reach high-intent audiences. Do Google Discovery Serve Ads Across Google Products?Yes. According to a Google Blog post about Discovery ads, “For the first time, you [...]