Direct to consumer marketers might be surprised at the great ROI that audio advertising can bring due to the rise of multiple streaming platforms and higher engagement through listening to podcasts and audio streaming channels. Is audio the new infomercial? Not yet, but it is fast becoming a tried-and-true performance marketing channel driving trackable actions and results, such as clicks and sales.
Audio advertising delivers performance marketers with a unique opportunity to engage with their target audience on a more personal level. Through leveraging precise targeting capabilities, advertisers can reach specific demographics and interest groups, ensuring their message resonates with the right audience.
Marketers can gather much insight from data and enhanced targeting capabilities. For DRTV advertisers, finding comparable podcast platforms in genres that have delivered on TV can be a huge advantage.
Podcasts can deliver host reads, where the hosts speak about the product or service from their own personal experience (much like an influencer of sorts) and there is also the opportunity to purchase pre-recorded audio spots in the podcast itself.
Because podcasts live on the respective platforms, there is quite a bit of drag to the orders, oftentimes coming in weeks or even months after the media buy has ended.
Tracking orders or leads through codes helps enable the attribution.
Digital audio streaming ads in local regions which have performed historically well for a marketer can be used in conjunction with national podcasts and can be quite effective.
Since the pandemic, audio listenership has grown and flourished and thus is an undoubtedly more viable channel for d2c marketers to connect with their target audience in a memorable way and enhance the ROI of their multi-channel campaigns.
Consumers are watching videos on all platforms more than ever before. According to a recent survey from HubSpot ,the number of digital video viewers worldwide is expected to reach 3.5 billion. Also in 2023 people are watching on average 17 hours of online video per week. And 91% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool. Consumers depend heavily on this type of content during their research phase when making purchasing decisions. Thus, having a smart video strategy is a vital component to have in your marketing toolbox, especially if you are a d2c marketer. Video continues to impact performance marketing. Performance marketing, which focuses on driving specific actions such as clicks, leads, or sales, has become increasingly reliant on video. As consumers become more selective with the content they chose to consume, video has proven to be a more engaging outlet for ads rather than static images or text which are much less captivating. In the world of digital advertising, video advertising has become a key component of any successful campaign. As much as consumers love watching videos, shorter length videos are preferred. We owe a lot of this to TikTok. After the rise of TikTok, a wave of short form content shortly followed suite. Consumers are continually seeking out short snappy videos under 1 minute long Direct Response TV (DRTV) and infomercials are becoming popular methods again for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands to promote their products in detail while also displaying a call-to-action, allowing viewers to make a purchase. The DRTV video content blends information, inspiration, and entertainment with a bit more fun than the old DRTV days where the offer was the main ingredient. There is also more video in advertising on gaming platforms as well, which is a genre that more and more direct to consumer marketing companies are exploring. Video advertising will continue to grow and evolve with each new platform. This is a positive for d2c marketers, as it provides the opportunity to increase engagement, drive conversions, add to the database and ultimately see a positive overall impact on revenue.
Avalanche Receives Top Creative Agencies in the USA 2023 Award
While Avalanche provides additional services, we are primarily a creative agency. We are excited to announce that we have been acknowledged for our many successes and awarded the Top Creative Agencies In the USA 2023 award. This is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and our partners, colleagues, and clients.
The Top Creative Agencies in the USA 2023 award is a prestigious award that is given to agencies that have demonstrated out of the ordinary creativity, innovation, and excellence in their work. This is a reflection of our agency’s ability to create unique and captivating work that makes our clients stand out from the crowd.
It is particularly thrilling that as a performance marketing agency, which produces DRTV, infomercials, social media videos, we are acknowledged for creativity. It was not too long ago that DRTV and other direct to consumer marketing was looked down upon by the brand advertisers. Now they are in a race to catch up with us, as more and more marketers are looking for accountable results with ROI.
The toughest thing to pull off as a creative shop is to drive interest, sales and leads while maintaining a branded look. Our partnership with excellent advertising brands allow us push the boundaries of creativity and produce exceptional work that delivers, whether it is on TV, TikTok, YouTube, or any other platform.
This award underscores our continued commitment to deliver extraordinary work and drive results, giving value to our client’s brands.
Is Chat GPT good or bad for advertising? Everyone is talking about Chat GPT, Chat GPT is an artificial intelligent chatbot. It has the potential to significantly impact advertising. It is so advanced and comprehensive that it has the ability to understand and generate human-like language and responses and can create targeted and personalized advertising campaigns. But do they resonate with consumers? Do they have the creativity and human characteristics to compete with professional content creators? That is debatable.
While some in the D2C space are experimenting with Chat GPT’s ability to generate highly personalized content based on analyzing vast amounts of data about a consumer, including their interests, demographics, and online behavior. Does this level border on big brother watching? Is it cool or scary? This level of personalization can increase engagement and conversions, as consumers are more likely to respond positively to content that sparks their interest, but not if it is perceived as robotic or not quite earthly. The jury is still out on direct-to-consumer marketing in the digital landscape and how effective this outreach really is.
Chat GPT can also be utilized to provide personalized recommendations and support to a consumer through analyzing a consumer’s previous interactions with a brand. It can suggest products or services that are similar and likely to be of interest, as well as aid with any issues or questions they may have. This level of support can either lead to increased customer satisfaction and brand loyalty or freakout city and fear. Again, the jury is out here. And is better short term ROI a better result than long term customer loyalty? Or can they co-exist?
Another way Chat GPT can impact advertising is by improving ad campaign efficiency and effectiveness by analyzing data from previous existing campaigns and identify successful patterns and trends and analyze campaign performance and optimize.
As more direct-to-consumer brands experiment and as the technology continues to evolve, it will be very interesting to see how brands capitalize on it to create more captivating and effective advertising campaigns or decide it is just too weird for them and not authentic to consumers.
The digital marketing world is continually evolving new advertising trends. Is it finally the right time to jump into In-game advertising? Gaming has evolved and now brands are able to integrate their advertising campaigns into video games! The rise of gaming has created a new advertising platform for brands to reach their target audience. This captivates gamers while giving them an immersive unique experience while doing what they enjoy on their smart phones. The major advantage of in game advertising is that it is a positive interruption. The gamer doesn’t need to exit their game, everything appears directly on their screen. There are many ways brands are utilizing in game advertising.
One way is through product placement. Brands are able to strategically place their products within the game, allowing the gamer to interact with them. This tactic helps build brand awareness and functions much the same way product placement has been utilized in movies and television.
Brands can sponsor events or challenges in the game itself that the gamers are incentivized to complete. This type of in-game advertising is great for building on brand awareness and creating a memorable connection between the brand and the gamers.
And of course, there is G Comm advertising, where advertisers’ ads appear directly in the games. Some platforms allow purchasing directly on the platform rather than leaving to go to a web site to purchase. This new form of advertising directly on the gaming platforms encourages purchases and some platforms even offer rewards points for purchasing in platform.
Lastly, brands are forming partnerships with influencers to promote their products in games. Influencers are a powerful resource and advertisers can take gamers through the game through the power of their social media such as live videos or short reels. This tactic enables brands to reach a larger audience and generate buzz around their products.
In conclusion in game advertising is a growing move providing brands with another platform to reach their target audience and allows more visibility to their brand. With the rise of gaming, brands are creating new ways to weave in their ads into the gaming experience. With proper in game advertising strategies in place, brands are able to easily differentiate themselves and stand out from their competition. Maybe the time has come to consider in-game advertising as part of the omni-channel media mix now and into the future.
Don’t forget SMS in your Omni Channel Marketing Mix
Direct to consumer marketers are always looking to up their game by increasing sales at every touch point with consumers. Interactions through mobile devices are becoming more critical and SMS is a convenient resource that marketers are turning to more frequently. In today’s world, consumers are constantly bombarded with ads and marketing messages throughout multiple channels. Yet one of the most personalized and effective methods for boosting company sales is through short message service aka text messaging.
SMS marketing by definition is the practice of using text messages for marketing purposes. These messages are delivered in real time and can be used to inform customers of upcoming sales and promotions. According to consumers, the most beneficial text messages they receive are related to appointment reminders, delivery updates, booking confirmations. However, optimizing text messages to inform of sales and other promotions can be a foolproof technique.
SMS marketing is relatively easy to set up. It does not require any special software or additional equipment. This is most attractive to many companies particularly because it is highly cost efficient. This holds true especially for small companies and start-ups.
SMS marketing enables a business to hone in and target a specific group of customers. One way of doing so is with custom messaging. This allows a company to reach its highest and most valuable customers. By reaching out to customers directly, especially when most people’s cell phones are super accessible and always in hand, it negates any possible interferences.
The last benefit of SMS marketing is increased engagement. SMS marketing is a 2-way channel of communication. It permits a business to interface with their customers and receive immediate feedback. Customers are all about the experience these days and this personalized approach is a great tactic to build customer loyalty and open the door for repeat business.
SMS, in comparison to other forms such as email, has a much higher open rate and almost all are read and opened by their recipients. It continues to be a proven method for business to reach and engage with their customers. With SMS marketing software in place, a marketer has the advantage of being able to very closely monitor it’s customer interactions be ready to generate new messaging strategies and tailor them accordingly. The SMS market continues to grow due to the high open rate and increased rate of mobile devices SMS marketing is an ideal strategy for marketers whose goal is to expand their sales, grow their reach, and build on their customer database.
Lead capture through social media platforms and landing pages allows a marketer to build a database of not just emails but also mobile phones as well, thus leveraging ad dollars not only to make sales, but to build on future sales and customers through this interaction.
Don’t forget SMS in your Omni-Channel Marketing Mix
Direct to consumer marketers are always looking to up their game by increasing sales at every touch point with consumers. Interactions through mobile devices are becoming more critical and SMS is a convenient resource that marketers are turning to more frequently. In today’s world, consumers are constantly bombarded with ads and marketing messages throughout multiple channels. Yet one of the most personalized and effective methods for boosting company sales is through short message service aka text messaging.
SMS marketing by definition is the practice of using text messages for marketing purposes. These messages are delivered in real time and can be used to inform customers of upcoming sales and promotions. According to consumers, the most beneficial text messages they receive are related to appointment reminders, delivery updates, booking confirmations. However, optimizing text messages to inform of sales and other promotions can be a fool proof technique.
SMS marketing is relatively easy to set up. It does not require any special software or additional equipment. This is most attractive to many companies particularly because it is highly cost efficient. This holds true especially for small companies and start-ups.
SMS marketing enables a business to hone in and target a specific group of customers. One way of doing so is with custom messaging. This allows a company to reach its highest and most valuable customers. By reaching out to customers directly, especially when most people’s cell phones are super accessible and always in hand, it negates any possible interferences.
The last benefit of SMS marketing is increased engagement. SMS marketing is a 2-way channel of communication. It permits a business to interface with their customers and receive immediate feedback. Customers are all about the experience these days and this personalized approach is a great tactic to build customer loyalty and open the door for repeat business.
SMS, in comparison to other forms such as email, has a much higher open rate and almost all are read and opened by their recipients. It continues to be a proven method for business to reach and engage with their customers. With SMS marketing software in place, a marketer has the advantage of being able to very closely monitor it’s customer interactions be ready to generate new messaging strategies and tailor them accordingly. The SMS market continues to grow due to the high open rate and increased rate of mobile devices SMS marketing is an ideal strategy for marketers whose goal is to expand their sales, grow their reach and build on their customer database.
Lead capture through social media platforms and landing pages allows a marketer to build a database of not just emails but also mobile phones as well, thus leveraging ad dollars not only to make sales, but to build on future sales and customers through this interaction.
Marketing a business or product both on TV and digitally can have seasonal importance around holidays at a time when people may be more inclined to spend. Marketing around holidays is essential for some businesses. In fact, holiday marketing over the years has become its own entity. The holidays can be ideal time for growth and awareness of a company’s brand. The right holiday D2C marketing campaign has the potential to retain existing consumers and obtain and attract new ones. It can also drive sales significantly. In fact, it is during the holidays that some marketers receive the bulk of their yearly revenue. Here are some ways that companies strategize around the holidays to best optimize for strong sales.
The first marketing strategy is offering discounts or promo codes to their landing pages, via email, SMS, social media or even on their Amazon site. Americans, especially in today’s economy, are price conscious shoppers. They know that businesses are constantly competing against each other. Offering discounts makes consumers more inclined to purchase rather than just browse. Planning ahead and distributing a series of short-term discounts that change weekly is a great way to incentivize consumers. Digital coupons are ideal because they do not cost anything to give out and they help increase consumer engagement and retention for both new and existing customers.
Another marketing strategy is providing consumers with options for gift ideas or other holiday related items. With this strategy, it is most important to fully understand who your target audience is. So many people have a hard time deciding what kind of gift they want to buy for friends and family. One huge trend that has become very popular especially on social is influencers and even celebrities endorsing products via fun videos. People always want a sense of familiarity. They want that sense of comfortability that what they are buying is legitimate. And what better way than to watch a short video of someone you trust using a product or better yet, giving their honest reviews on it! Using an influencer or celebrity whether it be in an infomercial on tv or through digital advertising to demonstrate using products is an excellent resource for marketers and really helps drive sales.
Nowadays, most people, especially millennials and Gen Z, do almost everything on their phones. They love the convenience of having a device that allows them so much possibility and immediacy which enables them to make purchases with discount codes right then and there from an ad or a video that sparked their interest. Optimizing a company’s online store to be mobile friendly and setting it up in the easiest, quickest way for consumers to make a purchase and has had a huge impact for sales.
Positioning it where there is a simple link that a customer clicks on to bring them directly to a landing page or enabling a “buy now” where they don’t have to leave the page to purchase is a great way to ensure the customer can have a seamless best buying experience from start to finish.
Enticing shopping around any holiday is a marketer’s dream and encouraging people to have a generous spirit that will feature products that score big points with loved ones is huge. With proper planning and strategies in place, a company has the potential to obtain its highest sales volume around the holidays and get the most out of their marketing dollars.
The days of simplicity in digital advertising are long gone. No longer will a simple post on social media or a captivating video on YouTube alone garner sales. Rather, both the consumer and digital advertising platforms continue to evolve. Digital advertising continues to be at the leading edge of brands heading into the new year and there are several trends’ marketers need to keep an eye out for in 2023.
The first trend to be mindful of is advertising through OTT and CTV. A CTV is a device which supports content streaming that is either connected to or embedded into a television. Some examples of CTV’s are Xbox, Roku, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Amazon TV. OTT is video on demand. This is streaming video content directly on the internet and connected to a computer or TV. There are many popular streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. Both OTT and CTV have enabled more and more consumers to do away with cable subscriptions and rely solely on the internet to stream content. Typically, streaming ads opens the opportunity to captivate a younger audience who may have disposable income. To build a much deeper connection with consumers, brands are turning to streaming in addition to their linear TV advertising. While costs are still relatively high, expect to see a greater share devoted to these platforms and hopefully prices will start declining.
The second trend is influencer marketing. This trend had been present in the advertising space for some time, but has shifted in how influencers are selected and compensated. A relatable person as a testimonial helps bring a human element brand and is viewed as genuine and authentic. TikTok is the most popular app which influencers have been utilizing to advertise brands. By using the trends which are already popular on the app, this gives the influencer a chance to “connect” with the consumers on a relatable level. While TikTok has some growing up to do regarding attribution and ROI, expect to see more in beta test this year.
The third trend is advertising in the metaverse. This is something that is being overlooked. With a down economy and an overall uncertainty on Crypto, there is still one major thing to take away from the new age of the digital world. And that is that the Metaverse is still around. There has been a tremendous slow start, but the Metaverse has a foundation to grow. There are numerous big-name companies with different sectors which have invested heavily in the metaverse. Wait and see what develops.
The fourth trend is social commerce. Social commerce is a more validating experience for users. Mobile will be the biggest driver for social commerce in 2023. Consumers are following pages from multiple commerce apps such as Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook. Consumers focus on comparing pricing on different platforms prior to “pulling the trigger” on purchases. Targeting a mobile audience first is something that brands will need to consider in their campaigns. Brands need to strive towards building trust online. A great way to execute this is by interacting with consumers and encouraging conversation. The big advantage of this is it makes a brand more appealing, trustworthy, and legitimate. The social media platforms that continue to drive social commerce are TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. An uninterrupted shopping experience from viewing an ad to checking out is highly valued by consumers.
The fifth trend is gaming. Or G comm. With large swaths of people turning to gaming to calm nerves, stress and help with low moods, immersive gaming advertising is predicted to explode in 2023. Not only is it a great place to capture the Gen Z and Millennial base, but older demographics have increased use since the pandemic as well.
2023 promises new and exciting opportunities in the realm of digital advertising. From using streaming services to utilizing the Metaverse, these c trends provide additional foresight for advertisers. They are able to focus on which trends are working and which are not. The overall goal is to capture the attention of the consumer. And with current technology they have been given great opportunities to do so. With technology continuing to advance, these trends as well as future trends will be a guiding light for advertisers to share their brands in multiple facets and reach consumers where they are.
A company’s morals and ethics gravely impact an advertiser’s level of comfortability with being associated. For years Twitter has had great success with social media marketing as well as being utilized as an outlet for digital advertising & marketing. For consumers, Twitter has always been a haven for people to say what they were feeling. It was a place where they could say things that they couldn’t get away with doing elsewhere. However, there were still some rules and restrictions to this.
Most recently with Elon Musk buying out the company he has made it an open-door policy, and anything goes. People who were once banned are now allowed back to the platform. Digital Advertisers along with many other users are jumping ship. With their main concern being brand safety, the fact that the owner of Twitter has become a Twitter troll and Twitter being lawless are enough reasons they need to pull away.
For the majority of 2022, Twitter has been battling back and forth with Elon Musk. He has been waffling back and forth where he wants to buy the company and then changes his mind. With Musk in charge there will be major consequences for Twitter and people are fleeing right and left. There have been massive firings, angered staff and anybody has the given right to tweet whatever they desire. This has a major impact on marketer’s comfort level with utilizing the app. Advertisers have decided to part ways with Twitter to protect their brands. There has been no official indication yet, but it is more likely that advertisers who jumped ship will allocate more interest in other outlets such as TikTok and Facebook to display their ads. Other forms of advertising such as DRTV, DTC & CTV will also be affected negatively due to companies no longer providing their Twitter “Hashtags” in their ads.
Due to all these hardships this prominent company is experiencing, advertisers continue to properly strategize and think of alternative means of running their ads and promoting their brands. Companies are deeply committed to serving their consumers and they rely heavily on the power of social media. Unfortunately, for many advertisers Twitter will no longer be a part of their digital advertising delivery mix. Therefore, it is crucial for them to have an omni channel strategy. Although we are in the early stages of Elon’s ownership of Twitter, it should be very interesting to see how the other social media platforms are affected in the long run.
