Thomas Pigeon

For the "go woke, go broke" crowd that permeates through many brands across North America and beyond... ...I'm happy to say that you're wrong. A whopping *75%* of consumers globally say that "diversity and inclusion – or a lack thereof – influence their purchase decisions." This comes from Kantar’s 2024 Brand Inclusion Index - a survey of more than 23,000 people in 18 countries. Valeria Piaggio, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Kantar, expands on this: "It’s a myth that inclusion marketing is about marketing to minorities. Inclusion marketing is expansive marketing. One of the fundamental ways to grow your brand is to predispose more people to it. Yet when brands exclude consumers – whether that’s because people don’t feel welcomed when shopping in store or their advertising doesn’t reflect diverse communities – it’s an easy miss. Millennials and Gen Z prioritise diversity and inclusion even more than other groups, and as these populations grow in size and buying power these issues will carry more weight. Brands will be rewarded if they stand by their values – especially in the face of vocal communities which stoke the culture wars by pitting minority groups against one another.” So in the wake of so many brands cutting back on their #DEI staff and spend, treating inclusion like a checkbox that can be layered in whenever convenient, or just deprioritizing #DEI to pre-2020-like conditions, this is your wake-up call. It's time to get back on track. Your customers want it. Many are even demanding it. What are you waiting for? #JEDI #EDI #DEI #DEIA #InclusiveMarketing #InclusiveCommunications #InclusiveBranding #InclusiveAdvertising #InclusiveResearch #InclusionMatters #InclusiveWorkplace #InclusiveCulture

6

Navigating the Fine Line: Sustainability in Business   In the corporate world, transparency in sustainability practices isn't just encouraged; it's expected. Recently, Lululemon has come under scrutiny by Canada's Competition Bureau for potentially making misleading environmental claims. This situation underscores the fine balance companies must strike between marketing and genuine environmental stewardship. As we await the outcomes, it's a crucial reminder for all brands to focus on demonstrable progress rather than perfect representations.   Our benchmarking study reveals Tencent is an example of a company that commits to transparency by openly reporting both their successes and areas needing improvement. This approach fosters authentic engagement with stakeholders, who value a clear understanding of the real challenges faced on sustainability journeys.    Learn more about how Tencent and other global leaders are redefining sustainability in commerce in our latest blog article below. This analysis provides insights into integrating sustainability with business strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement. #sustainability #sustainabilitymarketing The Next Practice https://lnkd.in/eYExmKJh

24

1 Comment

Positive or negative multiplier effect? Two ad campaigns are getting attention in Quebec's press recently, though not entirely for the reasons intended. The first is from Sazerac Company, a privately held alcoholic beverage group headquartered in Louisiana, owned by billionaire William Goldring and his family. Their poster campaign, themed "a proudly Québécois summer," displays five products bottled in Quebec, along with an emblem. For context, Quebec has three designations for local products: 1. "Origine Québec" for products entirely made in the province 2. "Préparé au Québec" for products made in Quebec but with ingredients that can be sourced outside Quebec 3. "Embouteillé au Québec" for products made elsewhere but bottled locally Local wine and spirit producers are expressing discontent with the implication that brands like Southern Comfort are local, particularly given the SAQ's plans to reduce the number of locally-made spirits it carries. The second campaign is for Koodo, a subsidiary of TELUS. A multicoloured house has apparently violated local regulations, and the city intends to fine Telus according to reporting by La Presse, despite claims from Camp Jefferson that they obtained the necessary permits. This won't cause major reputational damage. In fact, one could argue that these controversies serve as amplification for two campaigns that might otherwise have received limited attention. As Oscar Wilde famously quipped: "There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." Marcus Daum Ashley Babcock

9

2 Comments

Again, what you're not, can be more differentiating than what you are! This example from Burger King, from 4 years ago, is boldly different, and rooted in what they're not, producers of food loaded with preservatives. This bold move led to a 14% increase in sales, 8.4 billion impressions, $40 million in Earned Media Value, and an 88% boost in positive brand sentiment. #brandstory #brandstorytelling #differentiation #videomarketing https://lnkd.in/gsEGx_ib

8

2 Comments

YOUR CUSTOMER IS NOT A MORON... ...she's your wife! as every Ogilvy acolyte knows. So why do brands constantly make the mistake of treating their customers like morons? Westjet has enjoyed a pretty good reputation as a serious challenger to Air Canada in these parts but is experiencing a deserved backlash from customers to their "Ultrabasic' fare. Why insult people's intelligence by pitching it as meeting customer needs for greater pricing level choices? Okay so airlines are in business to make a profit and we all know airlines extract whatever value they can when they can (think fuel surcharges), but pitching it as what we want? C'mon. Spit in our faces why don't ya! Sometimes it's better to say nothing than risk insulting our intelligence. And they're not alone. Last month Vancouver Whitecaps (Vancouver's MLS team) had to deal with the backlash of fans who had been charged an exorbitant price to watch Lionel Messi play with the visiting Miami team, only to be told at the last minute that Messi wasn't going to play (neither were their other two star import players). This shouldn't have surprised the Whitecaps as they play on astroturf and they know many star opposition players have clauses that release them from playing on it. Their response - discounts on food purchases at the game! What a neat trick, it's a win for the marketers eh!...sell more food, keep the vendors happy. When brands gouge their customers they risk creating deep-rooted resentments. They take from the bank of goodwill: they don't add to it. Instead of pitching the Messi visit as a bonus, or as a thank-you for the loyalty of their supporters, they took the short-sighted view of making a quick buck. Hey brand owners, see the bigger picture. Rise to the intelligence of your customers. Take the long-term view. Put deposits into your brand bank of customer goodwill, don't take from it. Or deservedly lose your customers. Am I being too harsh? ---|--- I am Peter Wilken 🐬 I provide Brand Management Consulting to a small cadre of clients in Vancouver and coach #entrepreneurs, #solopreneurs and #brandstrategists through my online programs at The Lighthouse Brand Strategy Academy

9

2 Comments

Steve Jobs predicted Chat GPT in 1985. Here’s how you can “steal” his visionary wisdom… You see, I’ve been in a unique position as an entrepreneur-educator. - One has a limited number of “correct” answers. - One has an infinite number of possible solutions. But it’s been my job to create unseen solutions to known problems, while at the same time bridging the gap between learning and discovering. Now, I can’t tell you how to predict the future… But if there’s one thing you CAN do. And it’s to think against the grain, no matter how “out there” you might be. Because when you start thinking like a divergent… - You’ll start to see through the fog. - You’ll begin to detect patterns before they take shape. - You’ll figure out how to turn what “could be” into “what is”. That’s where innovators are born. Challenge everything. Think differently. Stay curious. – What is your biggest prediction for tech & AI over the next decade? Yes, this is your chance to play Steve Jobs ;) Drop it in the comments below ⬇️

27

5 Comments

Your business, your career, parenting, relationships, all the things of life will present challenges. They are right in front of you. You think you actually see them. I mean, you do see the obvious thing. The business isn’t bringing in enough money, your client won't pay you, your boss doesn’t see you, your kid doesn’t listen to you. We’re all wired to just react to those things. But what if you intentionally changed your perspective? Turn the problem upside down. Get closer to it or further away. Go somewhere you haven’t been.  Move your feet. Pick up your head. Look within instead of ahead. For whatever challenge is in front of you: Challenge yourself to do something with it that you haven’t done before. How else might you solve it? How can it be an opportunity, or even a gift, instead of a problem? Here’s a quick, 3-step framework...and a vacation recommendation. https://lnkd.in/geAFJA-c #motivationmonday #blog #mindsetcoach #transformation #change

19

4 Comments

If you are a media company of any kind and any size, do yourself a favor a read this piece by Mark Ritson, please. As Professor Ritson walks you through a series of smart marketing decisions made by McCain's, think about your depth of involvement with your largest clients. Consider how you might earn your way to be part of those decisions. Your ability to make your big clients even bigger depends on it.

3

3 Comments

💰 The $1.6 Billion Keurig Dr Pepper acquisition of GHOST Lifestyle in 10 straight to the point (no fluff) facts, stats and takes. Which one is the most impressive? 👇 🤔 FIRST, Massive Congrats to the whole team at GHOST! I'm honoured to be a trusted marketing partner for them 🙏 1️⃣ Origin Highlight: GHOST was the OG ‘label transparency’ pioneer. A pillar in their marcomms was and still is 'No Proprietary blends' while exposing the industry's dirty little secrets (under dosing, spiking, hiding poor quality ingredients in "blends" etc...) 2️⃣ Differentiation Highlight: They are arguably the best at licensing deals with well known confectionary brands that bring exciting flavours to market. 3️⃣ Brand Positioning Highlight: Highly focused on Lifestyle sports nutrition over Hardcore sports nutrition. 4️⃣ Big Moment Highlight: GHOST launched a joint venture with ZX ventures (Anheuser Busch) to launch the brand into energy (RTDs) in 2020. 5️⃣ Recent Performance Highlight: 4x sales over the last 3 years 📈 6️⃣ KPD Deal Highlight: KDP will buy 60% for $990m in cash - a $1.6B valuation / 3x FY24 sales. which puts FY24 sales at approx $530 Million. 7️⃣ Deal in context for comparison: 3x multiple of sales is not the best multiple, in recent years we've seen: 🥜 Nutpods - 4x 🏺 Humm Kombucha - 3.75x 🌡 Celsius currently trading around 4.4x However this is still the largest private bev M&A in recent history and dwarfs the rest in beverage:  👻GHOST - $1.6B ☕ La Colombe - $900m ⚡ Bang Energy - $362m 💪 OWYN - $280m 8️⃣ Ghost is the most scaled private & independent asset in energy outside Red Bull. 9️⃣ Ghost had very strong EBITDA margins in excess of 20% after KDP accounted for synergies/add backs. 🔟 GHOST is an outlier for a transaction of this size when it comes to TTV (time to value) 🛀 Aesop - $2.5B / 36 yrs 🚬 NJOY - $2.7B / 17 yrs ----- Over 2 B -------- 👻 GHOST - $1.6B / 8 yrs! ----- Under 1 B -------- ☕ La Colombe - $900m / 29 yrs 💪 OWYN - $280m / 8 yrs ⚡ Bang Energy - $362m / 11 yrs Massive credit: Drew F. for the all the info on this deal 🙏 Which of these stats do you think is the most impressive? Personally I think the TTV is simply incredible 👏

37

4 Comments

“Fast-vertising” is a concept we leveraged at /newsrooms, merging marketing with the pace of breaking news. It’s still a concept many marketers stuggle with, trying to keep up with content production across all their owned channels, citing lack of resources, approvals and compliance as roadblocks. Little do they know the vast majority of this content can be pre-planned and engrained in corporate processes so you’re able to remain compliant but still react strategically……it is possible and successful.

33

2 Comments

Finisher medal - yay or nay? The ongoing debate on the lips of event organizers. Too often you'll hear participants say that they aren't interested in a finisher medal. So, organizers listen and opt for replacements like beer glasses, plants or bracelets. Only to hear how sh#t the idea is as those very participants stroll off after the race - medal replacement item in hand. Others happily add their medal to their collection, seeing it as a badge of honour. Is it a debate that could ever be solved? Or are we forever torn between the medal vs no medal warriors. What do you think? Are you a collector or not?

2

3 Comments

Pivoting for Quebec: A Tailored Approach to Brand Recognition When Earth's Own approached Crew Marketing Partners, the task was clear: build brand awareness. But as we dug deeper, we uncovered a surprising insight—many Quebecers didn’t even know how to pronounce the brand name! Originally planning a traditional English/French campaign across Canada, we quickly pivoted to create a unique digital campaign specifically for Quebec, addressing this key challenge. The focus? Connecting with the Quebecois audience through a campaign that feels local, authentic, and—most importantly—helping them understand and embrace the Earth’s Own brand. Because real insights lead to real connections. Earth’s Own, reintroduced for Quebec.⚜️🍃🥛 #QuebecMarketing #BrandRecognition #LocalizedCampaign #BilingualMarketing #EarthsOwn #CrewMarketing

16

5 Comments

We do all types of strategic and creative work at 123w (One Twenty Three West). Our team of experts can do all types of great advertising, design, digital and branded content projects. One of the things we've become extremely strong at is what we call brand transformations. Where we completely modernize a brand for growth. The world is changing. Brands must evolve and tell their story in the most smart, ownable and creative way. Here's an article that explains a couple of recent brand transformations. I'm also happy to chat with anyone who thinks it's time for their brand to modernize and transform. https://lnkd.in/gEKDh_u7

98

Writing a good press release involves restraint. It eschews bombast and presents information in a measured way that allows the announcement to speak for itself.  You need to top-load a good press release. Give all the pertinent information as close to the top as possible. This isn’t something where you need to keep the reader (journalist) in suspense. They’re going to make their decision within the first paragraph, so put all your important information high up and use the rest of the PR to flesh it out. #Copywriting #PressReleases #CorporateCommunications --- Need a content strategy? Let's talk. Need a ghostwriter? Tell me about your project. Want a free website audit? Ask me how.

It might be obvious but how Marketing professionals view ROI is not as we might think. It's not about either or but how we take it as a KPI for our campaigns and how dominant it will be across our strategy. In this article you can search for the Facts and Key Data about the role of ROI in advertising. #Advertising #Marketing #KPI #Strategy #Financials

3

2 Comments

Best-selling author, marketer and entrepreneur Tina Wells has already inspired generations of business leaders, and her new podcast, “Shelf Help,” is about to inspire even more. In this episode, we chat about how the most successful brands combine creativity, technology and data science to get their products on shelves—and keep them there. Check out the full conversation to learn how to take your brand to the next level: https://shorturl.at/3u67d

5

A good problem to have 🫡🔥 This landscape and grading company based in London Ontario hired us for our SET UP and CONSULTING deal. This client wanted to promote their driveway grading service, so here is what we did for him. We built their website, set up Google Ads, and created content-first ad creatives for Facebook Ads. The result? He is booked and busy with new leads and jobs. Traditionally with this service, we'll set up everything for you, and make sure it's running smoothly before teaching you how to run it yourself. However, this client has decided to keep us on to manage his campaigns and build new ones as business goals change. Ready to go to the next level? 🚀 - - - #homeimprovement #contractormarketing #paidads #paidmarketing #googleads #leadgen

1