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1 Minute Advice: How Important is "Brand Intimacy"?

There's a widely held belief in brand marketing that brands operate on both a rational and emotional level -- and it's often the emotional side that results in brand loyalty or even brand love. Recent research cited in MarketingProfs assigns a "Brand Intimacy Quotient" to global brands. The higher the score, the more intense emotional relationship consumers have with the brand -- i.e., "brand intimacy." The research is based on an AI-enabled analysis of keywords and social media mentions to determine brand sentiment.

Here are the top ten brands that light up brand sentiment, in ascending order:

1. Disney
2. Tesla
3. Apple
4. Sony
5. YouTub
6. Mercedes-Benz
7. Trader Joe's
8. Netflix
9. Android
10. Sega

Read more here (free subscription required): https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2022/47246/the-10-brands-people-feel-most-intimately-connected-to-in-2022

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Current Consumer Trends According to McKinsey

With inflationary pressure and global uncertainty, this is a good time for marketers to pay close attention to current consumer trends -- and consulting firm McKinsey is keeping a close eye on them. According to a very recent Consumer Pulse survey conducted with U.s. adults by McKinsey, here are some key trends to watch:

1. "More US consumers are switching brands and retailers now than in 2020 and 2021, and about 90 percent plan on continuing doing so."
2. "US consumers continued to spend more money online, but they also returned to physical stores through 2021 and early 2022."
3. "Three out of four US consumers say that they are shopping online and in stores -- and many are participating in omnichannel activities."
4. "While value is paramount now, values (environmental, social, and governance issues) still matter."

More detailed statistics from McKinsey here: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/how-us-consumers-are-feeling-shopping-and-spending-and-what-it-means-for-companies?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Adjust Marketing for Inflation

Inflation can change the way consumers interact with brands. A recent survey by Vericast "found that 72% of consumers are responding to inflation by shifting their shopping behaviors to buying generic or lower-priced products. About one-third are limiting purchases of nonessential items. Clothing and accessories, followed by groceries, were the top categories where consumers are limiting spending, and 61% said they are eating out less often," according to a report from SmartBrief.

What can marketers do? Adjust your strategy to show you understand the consumer's pain, says Vericast executive director of client strategy Dave Cesaro.

“Expressing empathy for the pain consumers are experiencing because of rising prices and how the retailer is helping consumers get through that pain,” Cesaro said, adding, “Whether by allowing consumers to spread out payments over time or giving the consumer something that will help them right now with a pain that they are feeling every time they need to put gas in their vehicle.”

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: 3 Simple, Effective PR Strategies

PR (Public Relations) is not just effective, it can result in invaluable credibility for a brand that can be even more powerful than paid promotion. Writing for MarketingProfs, Corina Leslie, PR Manager for ZeroBounce, shares three effective PR strategies any brand marketer can pursue.

1. "Home in on what's unique, and craft your pitches around that"
   Leslie makes an excellent point about relevance: "Is your unique offering suddenly more relevant in a specific context? Put out a press release and ramp up your pitching. Newsjacking is still a powerful PR tactic, so don't miss out on ways to piggyback on the current news."
2. "Make the most of your in-house talent"
   Industry blogs, websites and other outlets may provide valuable coverage by interviewing your managers.
3. "Partner to cross-promote"
   "Think of all the companies you could partner with and reach out to them with cross-promotion ideas," writes Leslie.  "It's an easy way to expose your name to a new audience."

Read more here (free subscription required): https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2022/47148/three-ways-to-get-more-pr-for-your-business?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.