It’s that time of year again. The time of year when we all crave a little pumpkin spice and everything nice. Nothing says cozy fall days, fuzzy socks, football and brisk autumn air quite like a pumpkin spice latte (popularly known as PSL).

But pumpkin spice popularity has extended well beyond the PSL. Just last year, Nielsen IQ, a market research firm, reported a 24% surge in the purchase of pumpkin-spice-flavored consumer packaged goods by Americans, accounting for over $235 million in sales.

As an advertising agency, we aim to cultivate connections between our client’s brands and their customer base. Social media monitoring plays an important role in observing the online discussions taking place among customers. While it might sound a bit intrusive, like big brother is always watching, it operates differently than you might imagine.

Ready for some sobering statistics?

  • 60% of customers are incredibly concerned about current, global economic uncertainty.
  • 47% of customers are waiting for items to go on sale before they buy them.
  • 47% of consumers have less confidence in the economy.

Reading those numbers can be jarring, especially if you run a business during these uncertain times. Business leaders want their company to stay afloat and keep their employees all while satisfying their customers. Usually, the first instinct is to cut the marketing budget in hopes of making the margins look better, however the best advice is to do exactly the opposite.

Have you ever bought a product through Instagram because your favorite influencer used it while she was recording herself getting ready for the day? Skincare brands have started partnering with influencers on social media to increase reach and sales. If you’ve bought Maybelline Sky High mascara, it’s likely you were influenced. 

In an ever-evolving world, it is important for businesses to remain current by continuing to adjust their marketing strategies. Could Artificial Intelligence, (AI), benefit companies, or should we all take a step back before diving headfirst into the realm of AI? We’re breaking down the pros and cons of AI in advertising.

We know 2023 has started out with a lot of uncertainty, making the importance of listening to consumers before making strategic decisions more important than ever. Understanding consumer behavior means performing the necessary research to help understand how economic changes can and will impact your business, and then adjusting your plans accordingly. By gaining insights into consumer behavior, businesses can identify new opportunities and tailor offerings or adjust operations to meet the changing needs of the marketplace.

In today’s highly competitive business environment, advertising is essential for companies to stand out and reach their target audience effectively. However, managing an advertising campaign can be a challenging and time-consuming task. That’s why it might be in your business’s best interest to explore working with a full-service agency to handle your advertising needs.

Once upon a time, the only tools you needed to get your newsworthy announcements and stories publicized were a press release, a fax machine and a phone number. Editors and reporters were one call away from hearing your pitch and developing it into a story. Now, modern communication devices allow us to reach media contacts in a myriad of new ways. This, combined with the rise of blogging, YouTube, TikTok and other influencer channels, makes being creative and compelling in your outreach much more important.

The research

Harvard Business Review performed a 14-month study to analyze customers’ shopping behaviors in the United States. The review shows that 7% of customers were online-only shoppers while 20% were in-store only. That left the majority of shoppers, 73%, being multi-channel shoppers.

Now more than ever, customers enjoy alternating between channels for their shopping experience, creating an authentic omnichannel marketing experience. So, retail brands need to provide a consistent experience for the consumer, whether in-store, online, or engaged in both.

When you think of New Orleans City Park, so many things come to mind. For 170 years, this park has provided luscious green space for play and leisure, scenic waterways for fishing and romantic gondola rides. There are also opportunities to explore and learn through the Park’s different museums and visitors can even indulge in ordering warm beignets and a cup of cafe au lait at the famed Cafe Du Monde.