Hipsters, DJs and Home-grown Ads

This week in 60 seconds…

  • As much as we try to stand out and challenge the status quo – a study suggests, in a culture heavily driven by social media, we’ll only end up looking like everybody else
  • From looking like each other, to sounding like each other, ’Q’, a gender-neutral alternative to Siri has been created with the aim to counter sexism in voice assistant technology
  • Chemical Brothers are also manipulating sounds, remixing their latest track to create a super fast global identity for Formula One  
  • From global to grass-roots (kind of), Toyota have attempted to appeal to the ‘buy local’ consumer, claiming its latest campaign is entirely ‘home-grown’
  • And finally, M&S have put its premium, homely reputation on the line by signing its first ever TV sponsorship deal with ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent – that’s not just any sponsorship deal…

A final thought…

Advertising must connect. However, the problem lies with brands insisting they must connect with everyone.

Brands fear narrowing the focus of their marketing, afraid that they will lose business. But, in appealing to just about everyone, it seems that just about everyone ignores you.

Audiences like to be understood. As soon as our favourite brands adapt their marketing efforts to reach audiences we find it difficult to identify with, we inevitably lose a sense of community, belonging and affinity with the brand.

Data Byte

Should brands expand their target audience to reach out-of-market consumers?

As brands continue to nurture existing audiences, whilst trying to cultivate new relationships, it is important for them to remember those who got them to where they are today. After all, loyalty is a brand’s most prized asset.