Marketers began 2023 with one eye on budgets and bottom lines and the other on the fate of a host of transformational moves set to disrupt the advertising industry.
But things quickly got off track when M&M's in January announced plans to take an "indefinite pause" from its spokescandies, which had been a source of controversy and conservative fascination since a polarizing 2022 rebrand centered on inclusivity. The entire episode proved to be part of a stunt around the brand's Super Bowl spot, which fumbled the pre-game buzz and mostly left viewers confused.
The M&M's incident quickly receded into the background, but has proved instructive for marketers in the first half of 2023. While concerns about the future of ad-supported streaming, cookie alternatives and measurement currencies have persisted alongside a shift in focus from the metaverse to generative artificial intelligence (AI)as marketing's latest shiny object marketersbiggest concern in 2023 has been how to avoid having their actions subsumed by a political culture war that has dominated headlines and led to backlashes against brands including Bud Light and Target.
As marketers head into planning for the crucial second half of the year, many are left to rethink the role of the brand, choosing between being vectors for purpose-driven actions as many have tried to be for years or returning to the more value proposition-based identities of the past. And for marketers navigating an increasingly fraught landscape, it's as if they are building the plane while flying it.
"We don't know if this is going to last in the long term, or if this is a short bubble-up of animosity and boycotting that might fade away in a little while," said Karthik Easwar, associate teaching professor at Georgetown Universitys McDonough School of Business. "If this is a fundamental change in how consumers respond, I think it's going to pose a lot more complexity and challenge, especially for big brands who are doing business with a wide swath of America."
A customer walks by a Pride Month merchandise display at a Target store on May 31, 2023 in San Francisco,
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via Getty Images
For many marketers, Bud Light is the canary in the coal mine for how quickly and dramatically brands can be dragged into cultural battles that impact the bottom line. The brand earlier this year sent influencer Dylan Mulvaney a personalized beer can emblazoned with a picture of her face to celebrate the first anniversary of her gender transition. Soon, both the brand and influencer were the focus of right-wing media figures who called for a boycott.
"We definitely know that, strategically, [Bud Light] was looking to diversify and expand itself into new audiences, and that was the impetus behind their marketing. I don't know if they realized that such dominant voices from such a small group of people would be able to take over so much of the airwaves," said Ian Schatzberg, CEO and co-founder of branding agency General Idea.
Parent company Anheuser-Busch seemingly tried to let the backlash run its course, but its actions including putting two marketing executives on leave did little to stem the tide. Bud Light sales began to flag and the beer lost its spot as America's top-selling beer for the first time in more than two decades.
Brands like that that are already hurting, it's a little bit like, who does the coyote eat?
Mark DiMassimo
Founder and creative chief,DiGo
Target was soon the next domino to fall when the retailer decided to pull some items designed as part of its annual Pride collection following incidents in stores that put store workers at risk. But by responding to backlash from anti-LGBTQ+ forces, the retailer also drew the ire of the communities that it has worked to engage with its Pride collection.
"Brands are now stuck in this catch-22 play," Easwar said. "Some people are feeling that [brands] not standing behind the stance that they have that was supposed to be inclusive, because another group is saying, 'we don't want that.' If you keep it, you're angering one group, if you take it away, you're angering the group you're trying to include."
Overall, brands were comparatively quiet for Pride Month in June. While several long-standing participants from Skittles to Smirnoff continued to wave the Pride flag, others seemingly waved a white one, deemphasizing purpose-driven moves around identity and culture that have been a key marketing tactic for several years.
For their part, Bud Light and parent Anheuser-Busch have aggressively begun trying to change the post-boycott narrative with campaigns centered around summer drinking and beer production. But it's unclear if this return to fundamentals will slow the loss of market share that mass-market light beers like Bud Light have been fighting against for years by, paradoxically, engaging with younger, more diverse audiences in moves that are now exacerbating downward trends.
"Unfortunately for Bud Light, it's Bud Light It's beer water with a logo folks identified with, so as soon as the identification was polarized or damaged, it was very easy to switch," said Mark DiMassimo, founder and creative chief of creative agency DiGo. "Brands like that that are already hurting, it's a little bit like, who does the coyote eat?"
The Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille parade entry shows a banner advertising Bud Light beer at the WeHo Pride Parade in West Hollywood, Calif., on June 4, 2023.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Even if the current divisive atmosphere is a short-term phenomenon, the threat of being drawn into a culture war could be enough of a risk to force marketers to rethink the role of brands in the market and in consumers' lives. This could mean a shift away from purpose-driven marketing around a variety of causes.
"I could imagine in boardrooms [executives saying] the role of the brand is not to create identity-oriented, community-based messaging the role of the brand is to deliver a product at a good price," Schatzberg said. "My suspicion is that you will start to see businesses potentially move towards more of a functional value prop versus something that is closer to culture and identity in the months ahead."
Continued economic pressures could also feed the need to focus on basic value propositions, with brands potentially avoiding messages around culture and identity this holiday season. And while that may be the safe approach, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
"You'll also have brands that are committed to the purposes that they've defined and the role that they want to play within the lives of culture at-large and they will continue in that," Schatzberg said. "I do envision you'll see these camps of different perspectives on how to navigate the consumer landscape coming out of this."
In recent years, the holiday marketing period has seen brands embrace not just gifting and gathering but diversity and inclusion in seasonal messages, an approach that seems less likely this year. Recent efforts by Jim Beam and Smirnoff that emphasized the importance of human connection and responded to a "joy recession" caused by consumer alienation, respectively, could hint at how marketers will message around the holidays this year.
"My suspicion is that you will start to see businesses potentially move towards more of a functional value prop versus something that is closer to culture and identity in the months ahead."
Ian Schatzberg
CEO and co-founder, General Idea
Apart from concerns around purpose, culture and creative, recessionary pressures could also continue to force marketers to focus on necessities that are central and authentic to the brand's identity.
"As marketers, we need to be really strict and surgical about what is critical for this year," said Josh Golden, CMO at marketing experiences company Quad. "A good surgical approach will actually have some great moments of visibility, and then if you have a good, solid internal team, you can have a great keep-alive for other things that may not necessarily be the highest priorities."
A view of Smirnoff display at Smirnoff Sponsors NFL's A Night of Pride with GLAAD at Super Bowl LVII on February 08, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images via Getty Images
One of the highest priorities will continue to be generative AI, which has dominated headlines in both the tech and marketing worlds all year. Much of the news related to the buzzy tech has been around adoption by ad platforms and agencies, with only a handful of brands ready to play in the AI sandbox. For brands moving away from purpose amid a period of economic difficulty, AI could be seen as a way to increase efficiency. But looking at AI only in terms of cost-saving could be dangerous.
"Rushing to embrace AI for cost reasons alone is akin to optimizing toward the lowest available CPM, said Erik Hamilton, vice president of search and social at independent agency Good Apple, in emailed comments. Smart marketers know that its what happens after the impression that really matters and that long-term, intentional, testing strategies yield the greatest savings."
Not everyone believes that generative AI is little more than marketers' latest shiny object,taking the mantle from, most recently, the metaverse. Platforms like ChatGPT could be game-changing in the way they empower marketers to better do their jobs, Quads Golden said.
"I'm really excited about the time saving aspects of this [technology], and then also having really smart marketers lean into the other areas dot connection, inspiration and making illogical connections," he said.
Being able to have more time to think about creative solutions to emerging problems is central to the role of marketers. Perhaps AI will help marketers as they navigate a fraught cultural landscape that is reshaping what consumers expect from brands. Marketing is a gamble and marketers must take risks for a chance at reward, Golden said.
"Marketing, frankly, gets in the middle of the cultural zeitgeist and has to jump on it," he said. "Sometimes, it's a grenade, unfortunately."
See the original post here:
Culture wars rage on, forcing marketers to decide whether to ... - Marketing Dive
- Intentional Community and Capitalism - Shareable - April 10th, 2024 [April 10th, 2024]
- How alternative communities have evolved from pacifist communes to a solution to the ageing population - The Conversation - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Georgia Power Announced T. Dallas Smith named to Georgia ... - All On Georgia - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- CSRWire - Thought Leaders Gather for Critical Community ... - CSRwire.com - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- EPA centers diversity with first-ever environmental youth advisory council - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Rigor, Relevance, & Reality: Education Collaboratory at Yale ... - Yale School of Medicine - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent ... - ReliefWeb - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Fathering Together Announces Acquisition of City Dads Group - PR Web - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Company to pay over $50 million in largest environmental lawsuit settlement in D.C. history: Health risks to the public - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Student death is now part of the routine at Middlebury - The Middlebury Campus - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- We welcomed an abandoned dog into our family. But dog dumping ... - Kansas Reflector - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The National Climate Assessment Goes Woke - Dallasweekly - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- A Conversation about History, Race and the Meaning of True ... - Philanthropy Roundtable - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The color of community | WORLD - WORLD News Group - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Kindness has good benefits | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Georgia Power Foundation awards grant for BIG Edge ... - Georgia Southern University Newsroom - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- "Chilling": Maryland lawmakers threaten to cut aid to immigrants ... - Salon - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Three water options come with high cost | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Welcome to the Team, Kintan! | Office of Immigrant Affairs - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Recognized for Its DEI Efforts - DSNews.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Named 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' and ... - Fannie Mae - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Focused on progress - Weekly Challenger - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Good Ancestors and Messengers of Hope - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Make it intentional': 3-N-1 Trinity Services helps young ... - Longview News-Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Latinistas' is the World's First All-Latina Fashion Doll Line - hiplatina.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- CSU Releases Findings of Three-Year Research Study on NAVA'S ... - InvestorsObserver - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Press Ganey's Physician of the Year on a cardiology 'game changer ... - Becker's Hospital Review - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- City Officials Join Summer Campers and Local Artists to Kick Off ... - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Merrill and Linda Hutchinson on Communication for a Summer of ... - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Feathers installed as Rotary District Governor | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Theatre at St. Luke's: All Shook Up to The Little Mermaid - Orlando Sentinel - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Some thoughts on governance of the local variety - Resilience - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 988 is saving lives, but more awareness and support needed - Alton Telegraph - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- The Limitations of Eco-Anxiety | Atmos - Atmos Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Welcome Back: How JAPER Becomes Real for the People in Brazil ... - Just Security - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Now Is the Time to Go All In on Heat Pumps - Rocky Mountain Institute - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) celebrates 40th ... - Elizabethton.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Discrimination or bureaucracy? A Jewish community in Germany ... - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- AAP Rules And Guidelines For How To Keep Kids Safe From Cars - Fatherly - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- News & events / News - Diocese of York - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- EFOC: Is This Happening To Me Because I'm Black? Combating ... - Essence - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Stations Telling Diverse Stories With Sponsored Segments from ... - Next TV - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings ... - The New York Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Bungie weighs in on the current argument raging through the ... - PC Gamer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Myanmar: Dire humanitarian and human rights situation ... - OHCHR - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Invest in our public schools - EdNC - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- N.Y. stands up for LGBTQ equality: Having Pride 12 months a year - New York Daily News - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Fifth Third's 2022 Sustainability Report Shares Progress on Priorities ... - InvestorsObserver - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Top LGBTQ+ Financial Influencers to Learn from in 2023 - Investopedia - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- 'Retirement is so traditional,' try periodic retirement to figure out ... - Morningstar - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people brings federal ... - New Mexico In Depth - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The Astounding Power of Intentional Productivity (And How You Can ... - The Good Men Project - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action means for UL schools - Louisiana Radio Network - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Community managers find the path for developers and players to ... - VentureBeat - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The EPA was ready to clean up 'Cancer Alley.' Then it backed off. - Grist - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What Bidenomics Means for Workers and Families - UpNorthNews - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The vital link between a healthy press and our republic - The Fulcrum - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Death, Drag, and Decadence shows off the queer joy of DnD - Wargamer - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Israeli Expats in the U.S.: 'I Speak English, but I Don't Speak American' - Tablet Magazine - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NTSB hearings end with talks on tanker conditions, fire's aftermath - Marietta Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Can 'Friendship Clubs' Cure the Loneliness Created by Remote Work? - The San Francisco Standard - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- 'Men in Blazers' Podcast Comes to Higher Ground to Talk Vermont ... - Seven Days - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mindfulness, breathwork expert preaches value of slow living to Black and brown communities - Yahoo News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Idaho's physician shortage is here. Here's what we can do about it. - Idaho Capital Sun - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Awards Ceremony Shines Spotlight on Caltech's Trailblazers in ... - Caltech - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The African American Museum of Iowa Announces Juneteenth ... - River Cities Reader - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- US Supreme Court Rules Against Striking Drivers Who Abandoned ... - Engineering News-Record - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Future of the Thomaston Green is Green (or should be) - PenBayPilot.com - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Elephant in the Ethernet Port - City Journal - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- (Opinion) Nurturing diversity is good for kids, schools and NH - New Hampshire Business Review - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]