There’s no denying it, social media video is the king of content right now. From “live-as-it-happens” videos to eye-catching mini-movies, consumers are watching closely. Visual trends are growing and platforms like Instagram and Facebook play an important role in this shift. Consumers are viewing more video, so brands are creating even more social media video marketing for them to view. And where they watch is extremely important.
“To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.”
– A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
The new year is a good time to set goals. Roughly half of us make personal resolutions when the calendar changes and unfortunately, most of us don’t follow through. The number one reason for failure? We focus on too many goals.
It was a wonderful way to wrap up an amazing year. The People Who Think team was honored to receive the 2016 Tammany Award from the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce. The Tammany Award is presented each year to a business that has demonstrated leadership and drive, making it a leader in its field and in the community. And making it even more special, the award was presented to us by our valued client, Cathy Deano, co-founder of Painting with a Twist. Painting with a Twist was the recipient of the award in 2015.
What happens to your advertising plans when the surrounding community is devastated by a natural disaster? That’s the question Essential Federal Credit Union faced this year because of the 2016 floods in Louisiana.
As a credit union, Essential is a vital part of its community and when it was threatened, Essential sprung into action. The branding campaign Innovative Advertising had planned for the credit union was quickly revamped to focus on helping its customers through the rebuilding process.
Media buying used to be simple. Well, maybe not simple, but it was definitely more straightforward than it is today. You had fewer outlets to choose from — Print (newspaper and/or magazine), Radio, Billboard, and TV. You could compare each channel’s reach into your geographic market and amongst your ideal customers’ demographics with relative ease, and you could allocate your media buying budget accordingly.
By 2019, experts believe that 80% of all the traffic on the internet will be consumer internet video. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat or Hulu, video content has emerged as the medium of choice for the masses. In fact, nearly three in four agencies say online video is as effective, or more effective, than television. Here are a few reasons why –
Creating and distributing content is one of the most effective ways to build your brand and engage with your target audience. But, only if it’s done right. If your content primarily focuses on pitching your company, services and products, you need to rethink your strategy. Today’s consumer prefers to learn about products and services through articles, not advertisements. They want to be educated through online searches, not “sold.”
If this season’s programming successes have taught us anything, it’s this: viewer options are increasing and preferences are changing, but audiences are still flocking to smash hits – both old and new.
This season has already surpassed the last in programming choices and hits. This may be due, in part, to the fact that broadcast networks are sticking with the genres and programs they’ve become known for: NBC-dramas, CBS-reliability, FOX-sports and one-hit programming like Empire.
This is Us, NBC’s newest family show, came with high expectations and big promises. And, it delivered. It makes you smile, laugh and cry, with well-developed characters and equally well thought-out storylines reminiscent of NBC’s fan-favorite, Parenthood.
Since its premiere, This is Us has boasted strong numbers, blowing even projected and anticipated viewership out of the water (with help from heavy promotion on traditional TV and digital, a sizeable ad budget and a strong lead-in from The Voice). Renewed only a week into the opening season, This is Us is firmly positioned as the season’s “must see” show and a clear example of what viewers are looking for.
As always, there are shows on the chopping block. However, networks seem to be turning to ordering fewer new episodes rather than cancelling them outright. Part of the reason — although traditional TV viewership is down 38% from 2011, streaming video services are growing at a rate of 9% year-over-year. 2016 marked the first year that streaming video services were in 50% of US television households. So, it makes sense for networks to see which shows perform better with online and on-demand viewers. This strategy buys them time to evaluate DVR and online numbers, resulting in a more informed cancellation or renewal decisions.
| Network | Full Season Pickups | Too Soon to Tell Or Decreased Episodes |
| ABC | American Housewife
Designated Survivor Speechless |
Conviction
Notorious |
| CBS | Bull
Kevin Can Wait MacGyver The Great Indoors Man With a Plan |
Pure Genius |
| NBC | This is Us | Timeless
The Good Place |
| FOX | Lethal Weapon | Pitch
Son of Zorn The Exorcist |
| CW | Frequency
No Tomorrow |
NFL ratings are still outpacing all other shows, but have seen an unexpected decline this season. I believe (along with many others) there are a multitude of reasons:
All in all, the fall season numbers (as well as its fewer cancellations) have once again confirmed the power of quality television. In spite of increasing changes in how audiences are watching, they are continuing to tune into their favorites shows and will be for the foreseeable future. For more information on TV viewing trends and stats, click here.
Every year during the holiday season, consumers are inundated with advertisements from millions of companies vying for their attention and money. With so much competition, why do businesses even bother? Because, if you place the right type of ad, it pays off. Big Time! In 2015 , brands reaped 113% more return on ad spend, thanks in part to larger increases in average order values (AOV).
2017 is fast-approaching. And while you’re probably knee-deep in how to finish 2016 strong, now is also the time to start planning for what’s to come. Today, as many as 85% of small and mid-size companies make the mistake of operating based only on a budget. Without a well-designed marketing plan, you fail to establish guidelines and proper direction, as well as run the risk of being unable to successfully identify key performance indicators (KPI’s). To ensure your business can hit the ground running January 1st, you need to be asking (and answering) three key questions: