The Marketers Toolkit 202

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The
Marketer’s
Toolkit 2024
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Evolution of Marketing
The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
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Now in its 13th year, the Marketer's Toolkit 2024 is Trend identification is based on our proprietary GEISTE
the centrepiece of WARC's Evolution of Marketing methodology along with an in-depth review of the latest
programme, the leading source of insight into the insights and industry information. The report further
incorporates a global survey of 1,400+ marketing
In this report changing face of marketing.
This year's Toolkit identifies five trends that will

executives, and one-on-one interviews with leading
marketers worldwide, as well as analysis and insight from
disrupt existing global marketing practices, and WARC’s global team of experts.
offers insights to help turn these disruptive areas
into opportunities for growth.
Note: Unless specified otherwise, all survey data in this report is from the 2024 Marketer’s Toolkit survey, an online survey of
1,400+ marketers worldwide, conducted in Sept.-Oct. 2023.
© Copyright WARC 2022.

2023. All rights reserved. 2
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Content
1 Preparing for the age of polarisation
Political ideologies have become increasingly entrenched, making brands more wary of
involvement with social causes. But can they avoid being pulled into political controversies?
2 Unlocking the potential of Gen AI

Artificial intelligence has been used to overhaul media strategy and audience targeting, but the
emergence of Generative AI could transform creative development.
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3 Masculinity in crisis
Across the developed world, young men are falling behind both academically and professionally,
and increasingly struggling with their mental health.
4 Sportswashing changes the game

Sports is the one content genre that still delivers mass audiences. But could the growing
investment into sports from entities with a poor human rights track record change that?
5 Sustainability is coming home

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Rather than push for big announcements on global sustainability initiatives, brands are
increasingly moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and looking at smaller, local and
community-based initiatives to power their green agenda.
© Copyright WARC 2023. All rights reserved. 3

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Capturing growth in the YOLO economy

The economic outlook is at best mixed. Marketers globally are certainly So what explains this
While supply chains have adapted to concerned about the economic picture. confidence?
the Ukraine war and inflation appears It is the biggest factor in 2024 planning, To some degree, marketers have grown
to be subsiding, sanctions continue to with 64% of marketers in the Marketer’s accustomed to uncertainty – scenario
affect the global economy. We also face Toolkit survey seeing it as having a planning has become de rigueur.
a slowdown in the Chinese economy significant impact. Similarly, inflation
and a fresh crisis in the Middle East. and the cost of living are named as the And a period of economic volatility
top ‘cause for concern’. may have strengthened the case
The IMF is forecasting that global for marketing. Analyst Ian Whittaker,
growth will slow to 2.9 percent in 2024, But as consumers keep spending, Managing Director of Liberty Sky
the lowest in decades. Global inflation is confidence appears higher than 12 Advisors, recently pointed out that the
Aditya Kishore, Insight Director, WARC forecast to decline from 6.9% in 2023 to months ago, with a clear majority of inflation of the past year has been “a
5.8% in 2024, but won’t return to target firms expecting improved business vast, unplanned experiment in showing
until 2025 in most cases. performance next year (see chart on how… brand marketing provides true
Here’s the thing about 2024. the next page). financial value to companies”. His
At a macro level it looks Yet consumer spending remains evidence – the string of big-name
tough. But compared with surprisingly high, especially in sectors That should translate into ad dollars. packaged-goods companies posting
such as travel. It has kept the US Thanks to events such as the Olympics
2023, most marketers see bumper revenues, having implemented
economy out of recession, and helped and election spending, WARC expects price rises without tanking volume.
growth opportunities for the coin the term “YOLO economy”: global adspend to grow 8.2% in 2024,
year ahead. an economy driven by consumers topping $1 trillion for the first time.
prioritising today over the future.

Equally important, a time of change In an Olympic year, we also cover the growing
Which of the below best describes your business
for consumers has offered some importance of sport as a way to bridge those
CMOs the chance to double down as divides – and the need for reputational care expectations for next year?
the eyes and ears for the business. In as what some would see as sportswashing
times of uncertainty, consumer insight dollars join the party.
 Better than this year  The same as this year  Worse than this year
becomes even more critical. Forrester
Our other two trends are vast. Sustainability
research has found that businesses with 100%
and the unfolding climate crisis are 5%
advanced insights-driven capabilities
now a mainstream topic of discussion; 14%
are eight times more likely to say they 18% 20%
companies are responding by focusing on
grew by 20% or more. 20%
acts, not ads. For marketers, that means
less communication about sustainability 75%
And that’s where the Marketer’s Toolkit 20% 25%
credentials, and more behind-the-scenes
comes in. This document, built on WARC’s
work, including a focus on community- 29%
GEISTE methodology, runs through some
oriented initiatives.
of the emerging threats and opportunities
marketers will face as they look for sources 50%
Finally, the alarming numbers of “deaths of
of growth.
despair” amongst young men is focusing
attention on male stereotypes and the 75%
Yes, that includes Generative AI, which will
cultural expectations created by media and 62%
continue to dominate the tech agenda in 61%
advertising. 51%
2024. And, as elections in the US loom, the 25%
challenge of marketing to an increasingly

We hope you find the report useful.
polarised consumer base – whither
progressive ‘brand activism’ post-Bud Light?
0%
Toolkit 2021 Toolkit 2022 Toolkit 2023 Toolkit 2024

The GEISTE
methodology Government Economy Industry Society Technology Environment
The Marketer’s Toolkit is based on

WARC’s newly developed and proprietary Analyse and extract critical
GEISTE methodology, which focuses Extract themes from research
on six macro-level drivers of change:
Government, Economy, Industry, Society
Technology and Environment. Evaluate macro-trend
Evaluate impacts on marketers
Once this research identifies the disruptive

forces shaping the coming year, WARC analysts
assess their impact on marketers via a multi- Global expert inputs to
Select analyse and select trends
stage process, and then select the trends that
have the greatest impact. Subsequent research
and analysis, including interviews with marketing Validate trends via large scale marketer
leaders worldwide and a global survey, help us Validate survey, in-depth CMO interviews and
define and validate the most effective strategies to internal WARC data analysis
manage these changes, and identify new areas of
opportunity. Synthesise multiple forms of data and
Synthesise insight, conduct final reviews and
More details are available here. produce report

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Chapter 1
Preparing for the

age of polarisation
With high-profile brands caught in the
polarisation crossfire, there are signs of
increasing timidity regarding purpose. Still,
many others don’t feel culture wars will
inevitably engulf them – even as divisive
elections loom in some countries. This
chapter explores branding strategies at a
time of growing polarisation.
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Chapter 1: Preparing for the age of polarisation The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
Bud Light has long supported LGBTQ+ calls for a boycott of Coca-Cola Co.-owned
causes, but the increasing weaponisation Costa Coffee in the UK by anti-LGBTQ+
of issues, particularly progressive ones, people over a company-sanctioned illustration
One of this year's biggest
brought the brand’s support to the fore. focused on trans surgery. During the 2022
marketing stories was the Its unsure handling of the uproar made presidential election, some Brazilian brands
fallout from Bud Light's use matters worse, including significant business suffered when influencers they had hired were
of trans influencer Dylan ramifications. forthright about their political beliefs.
Mulvaney in an instagram That example underscores why brands Some marketers are pursuing the path of
post. An uproar followed, engaging in divisive issues need to least risk; 13% in this year’s Toolkit survey
stoked by conservatives such scenario-plan against fallout more carefully said the best strategy is to “drop all ‘purpose’
than they used to. Times have changed. For driven strategies and political positions.”
as Kid Rock, whose video of instance, amidst concerted US conservative
himself shooting Bud Light backlash, Pew has found increasing
cases went viral. Subsequently, polarisation around Black Lives Matter, with
support dropping from almost 70% in June
Anheuser-Busch InBev
2021 to 51% today.
attributed a 10% quarterly
revenue drop mostly “to the Social media algorithms will likely exacerbate
polarisation during upcoming election
volume decline of Bud Light”.
seasons, fueled by bad actors looking to
create division.
Culture war controversies are everywhere.

While the travails of Bud Light and the US
retailer Target are well-known, 2023 also saw

Many marketers Which of the following options best reflects your opinion of the
following statement? “Brands can no longer avoid getting pulled into
don’t see political controversies.”
controversy
as inevitable (By region)
 Strongly disagree  Somewhat disagree  Neither agree nor disagree  Somewhat agree  Strongly agree
Despite scary headlines about brand
missteps involving polarising issues,
respondents to the Toolkit survey are
split on whether these situations are Global 11% 29% 20% 31% 9%
inevitable, with an equal 40% globally
agreeing – or disagreeing – that such
controversies are fated. There are
only slight variations in opinions APAC 11% 27% 21% 29% 12%
across regions.
There is far more consensus about the best

strategy for a brand in an era of political EU 10% 30% 19% 33% 8%
controversies – some 76% advise standing
your ground. Still, when asked how they
would manage a specific communication that
accidentally offended a political or ideological NA 12% 30% 19% 31% 8%
group, 33% recommended an immediate
apology to defuse the situation, and 38%
advised staying the course. 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Despite appearances, Degrees of polarisation across countries differ
polarisation isn’t binary

se In Severely polarised
ve da
The term “polarisation” implies a Consumers in a single country can also re ng
po er
I see deep divisions, and I don't
think we'll ever get past them
lar of
two-sizes-fit-all world view, but differ in what they want brands to address isa
tio
Argentina
n
drill deeper than the typical liberal- on an issue-by-issue basis. Recent
vs.-conservative divide, and many US research from Bentley University
Colombia
pictures emerge. For marketers, and Gallup showed that while 55% of
My country is very/extremely divided...

consumers want companies to take a US
knowing the nuances surrounding Brazil
stance on climate change, as issues S. Africa
polarisation from one country to the
become more divisive, consumers are
Divided
Spain
next, and one issue to the next, is S. Korea
France
now less keen for brands to address Mexico
Sweden
crucial to managing brand strategy Nigeria UK
them. The bottom three were LGBTQ+ Thailand
Japan
around controversial issues. The Netherlands
issues (37%), abortion (26%), and political Italy
Kenya Germany
Canada
candidates (19%). India
Data from the 2023 Edelman Trust Ireland Australia
Barometer split 28 countries into four

That research dovetails with Toolkit Malaysia
groups based on degree of polarisation. Moderately polarised

survey data from brands. While clearly Singapore
While India, Singapore and China were
I see deep divisions but I think they
some show skittishness around hot- Saudi Arabia UAE might be addressable
the least polarised, the US, Spain and China

button issues, brands are far more likely Indonesia
especially Argentina were classified as Less polarised
to embrace sustainability, with almost
“severely polarised”, and Brazil, the UK, I see few deep divisions
half of brands (48%) pursuing sustainable
France and Japan were amongst those “in
innovation. Entrenched
danger of severe polarization”. ... and I do not feel these divisions can be overcome
Source: Edelman Trust Barometer 2023.

Knowing your audience Knowing your brand

When addressing polarising issues, While there are brands that aspire to the
Recent history shows examine your audience through cultural progressivism, say, of Ben & Jerry’s, for
and demographic lenses: most it’s a brand to study, but not emulate.
brands that approach
purpose should prioritise • What’s polarising for one demographic Most brands will benefit more from
doing risk calculus. Even might not be for another. According mainstream approaches to issues such
to US research by Allison & Partners, as diversity, equity and inclusion. For
as embracing purpose instance, Procter & Gamble approaches
younger generations are highly likely to
– often equated with want companies to continue with ESG diversity through its ability to develop
progressive, youth- (environmental, social and governance) solutions and grow markets for its brands.
efforts, even as headlines suggest
focused stances – became P&G Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard
heavy pushback.
more prevalent among recently explained that an insight about
• What’s polarising in one country how Black and Hispanic consumers felt
marketers over the last
might not be elsewhere. In China, about mopping led to the launch of the
few years, today there is Power Mop, which makes it easier to do
Dior trans influencerJin Xing is not
greater risk of pushback. controversial, but issues about the
Jin Xing what those markets view as “a highly
country’s sovereignty and image draw important job done for their family”. The
consumer and government ire. Foreign product now has broad-based appeal.
Understanding these dynamics means
brands have gotten in hot water there understanding the concept of cultural
Knowing your target, where your brand for listing Taiwan as a separate country advantage, which calls for marketers to
authentically fits into society, and your on their websites. A Weibo post asking decode how people derive meaning from
stomach for controversy are all key here. if Chinese consumers accepted the their groups and interactions, thereby
apology of the latest offender, Bulgari, enabling the emotional connections that
received 12 million views. build great brands. WARC AI image

In their own words
We serve diverse consumers. That requires For every consumer who opposes inclusive
precision to serve in ways that are relevant brands – meaning being inclusive of
and better for each person, so we can unlock multicultural and diverse storylines and
the potential. Inclusion to serve all people and representation in their ads – there are about
each person matters for market growth. five consumers that would support the brand.
Carlos Santiago
Co-founder of (AIMM) the Alliance
Marc Pritchard
for Inclusive and Multicultural
Chief Brand Officer Marketing, discussing its 2023
Procter & Gamble survey of US adults

Case Study
Mercado Livre
doubles down on democracy
Agency: GUT Advertiser: Mercado Livre Market: Brazil Explore the case study
After its most recent Livre, Brazil’s largest e-commerce Results Takeaways
presidential election in 2022, site over the following three days. • Media spend was only $42,000, but the • Stay true to core values: Mercado Livre’s
Brazil suffered through a threat The brand, which has long espoused campaign garnered 1.5 billion impressions long-term focus on progress and freedom
to its democracy on January 8, progress and freedom as core and $5.5 million in earned media. ensured that this initiative was authentic
2023, when supporters of losing values, offered shoppers a 99% to the brand.
discount on copies of the Brazilian • Positive comments about the campaign
candidate, and former president,
Constitution, making the document ran at 98%, a surprising result in a country • The brand supports the effort; not vice versa.
Jair Bolsonaro, ransacked
more accessible to Brazilian citizens. where the winning candidate won by a The promotion differentiated Mercado Livre,
government buildings and
By doubling-down on democratic 1% margin. but the goal was to distribute the Constitution.
threatened a military coup. One
values at a perilous moment for
central image was a picture of a
the country, the campaign was in • During the short three-day window of • Do your research: as the crisis unfolded,
protester waving a stolen copy keeping with the company’s values the promotion, Mercado Livre sold 4,000 the company monitored social media to
of the Federal Constitution. and less importantly, given the copies of the Constitution per hour. gauge consumer sentiment, bolstering its
stakes, helped differentiate it from decision to act.
That image became the genesis for a competitors.
flash campaign created by Mercado

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1 2 3
Takeaways WARC AI image
Stay the course. Separate the signal from the noise. Be mindful about what issues your brand
is well-positioned to support.
Backtracking compounds damage for brands caught It’s easier for brands to land in controversy because
in “culture war” cross-hairs. Target CEO Brian Cornell of highly-weaponised social channels. As one There are many variations within the interplay
admitted that “negative reaction” to the retailer’s Pride conservative commentator tweeted during Pride Month, amongst purpose, brands and consumers, so do risk
collection in June materially impacted sales, but, “The goal is to make ‘pride’ toxic for brands”. However, calculus, facatoring in your brand’s mission, heritage,
even as this was attributed to right-wing ire, including a recent study by the US activist group GLAAD found and strategy, and how deeply you understand your
vandalism, the brand also received criticism from 75% of non-LGBTQ+ adults were fine with “seeing consumers and their culture. For instance, the Bentley
multiple LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and California LGBTQ+ people in advertisements.” Some voices that Gallup research shows younger US consumers want
Governor Gavin Newsom for pulling some products. are loud may also be the minority. brands to speak up. If that’s your target, go for it.

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Chapter 2
Unlocking the
potential of Gen AI
Artificial intelligence continues to overhaul
media strategy and audience targeting – and
pose challenges in the form of AI-created
content. The next frontier is creativity: 2024
will see brands look to capitalise on the
emergence of accessible generative AI tools
to experiment with creative development,
and particularly with creative versioning.
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past and into a brighter future, colourful fun
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Chapter 2: Unlocking the potential of Gen AI The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
Over half (58%) of respondents to the • ‘Synthetic data’ can accelerate market
Marketer’s Toolkit survey describe research and help marketers to better
themselves as “cautiously progressive” understand their brand’s strengths
Over the last 12 months,
on generative AI, actively testing and weaknesses.
generative artificial large language model (LLM) chatbots
intelligence (AI) has like ChatGPT to inform strategy, and However, such opportunities come
experimenting with text-to-image AI with potential risks. Take the rise of
crossed the threshold programs like Midjourney to refine deepfaking, as experienced by YouTube
from promise to practical creative concepts. star Mr Beast. Copyright is a concern:
marketers must be confident that assets
deployment, particularly
In 2024, advertisers and agencies are created by AI do not inadvertently breach
in creative development. likely to step up experiments in a number someone else’s intellectual property, just
of areas: as they should be aware of the potential
for brand assets to be misappropriated.
• ‘Creative versioning’ allows the rapid Generative AI requires vast computational
development of marketing assets to power, so may compromise sustainability
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suit all campaign and audience needs. commitments.
• Brands can go from concept to execution The rise of generative AI may also force
and deployment in a fraction of the time a rethink of agency revenue models.
it previously took to create a campaign Equally, brands must be made aware
– see the rise of ‘fake’ OOH ads. of when assets have been made using
AI tools, to police the use of brand
• The use of AI tools may significantly guidelines – and consider transparency
reduce advertiser costs in areas such with consumers where an ad has been
as production. created by AI. WARC AI image

Brands focus What functions are you planning to use Generative AI for in the coming
year? Please select all that apply.
Gen AI on text-
based tasks  2023
Advertisers are mostly embracing the 60%

opportunities presented by Generative
AI. Less than a quarter (24%) of brand
48%
marketers surveyed by WARC said 46% 45%
their organisations are “wary” of using 45%
42%
Generative AI in 2024, with a further 5% 38%
describing themselves as “dubious”.
33% 33%
The majority report a more enthusiastic
30% 29%
response to the technology.
Advertisers are most likely to deploy

Generative AI to tackle text-based tasks,
15% 14%
such as copywriting and summarisation.
However, a third (33%) plan to innovate with 8%
Generative AI-created assets and creative 5%
versioning. A tranche of campaigns devised
and executed with Generative AI tools is likely 0%
Copywriting Summarising Competitor Customer Predictive Creative Asset Strategy Setting Other We are not
to land in the coming 12 months. creation
large texts & category insights insights versioning or concept benchmarks planning on
analysis for different development using Gen
platforms AI in the
upcoming
year

Non-generative forms of AI are also having

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an impact on media planning. Meta is using
AI targeting models to help it overcome
An AI arms race is
signal loss. Likewise, Amazon lets brands
underway among Big Tech use AI to analyse basket data and identify
companies, with a focus audience opportunities they may not have
previously considered.
on making consumers’
and advertisers’ lives It’s not all positive news, however.
easier. Microsoft has
A rising tide of AI-created content is
introduced ‘Copilot’, an
swamping the internet; disinformation is
AI “companion” for those likely to be rife in the build-up to the US
using its products, while Presidential Election. Agencies like GroupM
are moving to help clients to avoid the flood of brand marketers surveyed by WARC Alphabet may be the ongoing antitrust
social platforms including of made-for advertising (MFA) designed described themselves as “very concerned” case, in which the US Department of
Pinterest and Facebook to accrue quick clicks and attract brands about brand safety when placing their ads Justice argues advances in machine
targeting audiences across the open web. within media created by Generative AI. learning may be used to entrench
are rolling out generative
Google’s market dominance.
AI tools to help brands to Platforms like TikTok are encouraging Not all AI innovations will pan out as
create ads. creators to label AI-generated content, and expected, and the AI hype cycle moves Legislators in the UK and European Union
Adobe has introduced a “nutrition label” to quickly. The launch of ChatGPT was are considering how best to regulate AI,
distinguish photos and videos created or heralded as an existential threat to but progress is likely to be slow. The courts
edited with AI. AI-driven optimisation may Google; in reality, LLMs have impressed may provide an initial test bed, with media
help advertisers to avoid the most dubious far more to date with their creativity owners seeking to protect their IP from AI
of content. Nevertheless, a third (33%) than their accuracy. A greater threat to web crawlers.

In their own words
The question is, how do you build [AI] Will it be like having a new team member who is
into a scaled organisational competency? better than everyone else? Not yet. But the right
That is the obsession of every single day, AI tool, with the right prompts, with the right
every single week for the next 18 months. large language model behind the scenes, and the
Because it's a race you have to win. right research, will produce an above-average
result. And that's still incredibly powerful and
incredibly frightening.
Jonathan Halvorson
Global SVP, Consumer
Experience & Digital Commerce
Mondelez
Shiv Singh
Former CMO;
Advisor, Investor & Author,
Savvy Matters

Case Study
Cadbury:
Shah Rukh Khan-My-Ad
Agency: Ogilvy Advertiser: Mondelez Market: India Explore the case study
Back in 2021, Cadbury’s Diwali Users saw video footage of Shah Rukh Results Takeaways
sales were threatened by a lack of Khan encouraging purchases from • A total of 130,000 unique videos • Generative AI helped Cadbury to bring its key
community spirit resulting from specific stores close to their location. were generated for individual retail brand purpose of generosity to life in a new and
the pandemic, and trade outlets stores, with a 22% higher VTR than engaging manner. AI-created content helped
being reluctant to stock up on its By using machine learning, the YouTube benchmarks. showcase people and places that consumers
campaign – a 2023 Cannes Creative cared about.
Celebrations product.
Effectiveness Lions Grand Prix- • Distribution grew by 41%, with the
winner – was able to cover more number of stores stocking Cadbury • By using Generative AI, brands can make
To counter these twin threats,
than 500 pin codes across India. Celebrations up from 248K in 2020 celebrity endorsements go further than a
and engage both consumer and
Consumers were also able to create to 353K in 2021. generic video message. However, marketers
retailer audiences, Cadbury turned
personalised versions at a microsite, should be aware of the brand safety risk of
to Generative AI and geo-location
NotJustACadburyAd.com, and share campaigns being sabotaged by disaffected or
technology. The confectionery brand
the content on their own social merely mischievous consumers.
recruited renowned Indian movie star
media feeds.
Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador
for a hyper-personalised campaign.

1 2 3
Generative AI is a potential game-changer The media landscape is likely to become Brands should be aware of the reputational
for creative development. murkier, and potentially more dangerous risks associated with Generative AI.
for brands, as a result of Generative AI.
The ability to test ideas almost instantly, bypassing Advertisers using Generative AI may be perceived as
traditional (and often costly) methods is likely to The democratisation of advanced Generative AI somehow deceiving consumers; transparency is key.
revolutionise client-agency relationships. For agencies, programmes allows bad actors to pump out low-quality The sustainability implications of generative AI should
generative AI poses both opportunity and risk. content, and subsequently attract ad dollars from also be considered – both in creative development, and
Remuneration models may need to adapt, while new blunt programmatic audience targeting. Furthermore, also media placement – especially for brands making a
capabilities will be enabled by generative AI tools. brands may find their own IP challenged in new ways point of reducing their carbon emissions.
by Generative AI content.

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Chapter 3
Masculinity in crisis
Young men in the western world, especially
those hailing from historically marginalised
backgrounds, face growing challenges
with social and economic inclusion. In
their search for a contemporary identity,
some are being drawn to toxic role models
online. It’s important that brands adjust
their advertising and influencer selection
strategies to reflect emerging models of
masculinity.
infinite row of disaffected male youth wearing
hoodies, sitting at a bus stop in the rain, urban cityscape,
/imagine night scene, cinematic styling, neon glow, lost souls,
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Chapter 3: Masculinity in crisis The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
While equal rights activists have driven

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improvements for women, many men in the US
The challenges facing young and Europe – particularly those from economically
men have been gaining challenged backgrounds – find themselves adrift.
A third of non-college educated men over 25 have
attention in recent months: dropped out of the labour force entirely, and young
financial, emotional and men are 5-times more likely to commit suicide than
young women.
even ideological. In the past
year, Richard V. Reeves, US universities are now enrolling roughly six women
Scott Galloway and Caitlin for every four men, the largest gender gap in their
history. Nor is this widening academic gap limited
Moran have all written about to just the US, it is largely consistent across the
the growing social dangers of developed world.
this trend.
There is a crisis in masculinity, and it’s increasingly
driving young men to search for new, and often
toxic, role models. Influencers such as Andrew Tate,
who promote misogyny in the guise of a return to
traditional values, condone violence, and portray
women as the property of men.
This will have profound implications for brands, from

how they position and communicate their brand, the
celebrities and brand ambassadors they endorse as
well as to the influencers and content creators they
WARC AI image choose to work with.

Marketers To what extent would you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“We have to change the way we communicate with young men in our advertising.”
recognise the
need for change Strongly disagree
Somewhat disagree
The need to change the way they
communicate with young men is 4%
recognised by almost two out of every 7%
three marketers surveyed in the 2024
Marketer’s Toolkit, with just 11%
disagreeing. Nearly 80% agreed that
25%
Strongly agree
masculinity is being defined differently
today than even a few years ago.
26%
This suggests that marketers are increasingly Neither agree
aware of the challenges that young men nor disagree
are going through today. Indeed, the same
two-third of respondents agreed young men
today were struggling with their identity.
Still, there is either a ‘say-do’ gap, or

38%
Somewhat agree
marketers still don’t link influencers directly
to this issue. Only 14% are selecting their
influencers primarily because they are good
role models, and demonstrate the right values.

This is true of both advanced countries with

higher degrees of sexism, such as South
Korea, and in notably egalitarian countries
Researchers have
like Sweden (where researchers say they
postulated that manhood are confronting a pojkkrisen, or “boy
is a “precarious” state crisis”).
defined by social proof

As socio-economic trends have eroded
rather than biology. traditional perceptions of masculinity, little
Without that “proof ”, guidance is available for young men trying to
navigate a rebalancing of gender roles.
male identities are more
likely to feel threatened The reshaping of economies
than women, potentially The shift away from a manufacturing
economy over the past several decades,
activating physically
has cost millions of jobs in developed
aggressive thoughts. countries. This is leading to high levels of
depression, with men now accounting for
two out of every three “deaths of despair” aged 7-16 spend more than two hours a stereotyping. The ‘Unstereotype Metric,’
(death due to suicide, drugs or alcohol), and day on YouTube where they are exposed which measures progressive gender
This might also be why girls make up double suicide is the primary cause of death for to extreme messages, which alarmingly portrayals in global advertising, found only
the percentage of the top 10% of US high men under 45. appear to be resonating. single-digit percentages of ads showing
school students and academic performance either gender in non-traditional roles. And
and ambition are failing amongst young The rise of social media Representation in media and it’s not improving: 72% of respondents in
men. By earning sooner, they demonstrate Some social media influencers are feeding advertising 2020 (compared to 52% in 2018) believe
they are “men,” so they are less interested in off this embitteredness. In the UK, 91 per Marketers and media outlets must the media represents men in conventional
the delayed benefits of education. cent of 11-year-olds have a phone. Boys also take responsibility for decades of roles, e.g. providers, leaders, businessmen.

Driving change in media and Lionise good men rather than

marketing macho men
As unemployment, addiction and suicides Professor Joan Williams from the
ramp up among young men, advertisers University of California may have an
will face the same pressures to avoid answer. She suggests that there are two
stereotypes that they have for women. ideals of masculinity: The macho man and
the “good” man, as in the George Bailey
Regardless of whether a brand is of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. While marketers
specifically aimed at men, the image have largely focused on the former, a shift
of a stoic, macho loner will start to be to the latter, where masculinity is defined
challenged, both by consumers, and by by a man’s contribution to his community,
advocates such as social researchers and would be better for young men.
regulatory bodies.
Social media could be a key battleground,
Brands can start to shift away from these with 57% of respondents in the 2024
stereotypes, but towards what? Is there a Marketer’s Toolkit survey agreeing that
clearly defined positive male stereotype? social media has created new male role
models that offer problematic versions
of masculinity. However, there are several
Williams suggests that male influencers who offer positive
there are two ideals of examples along the lines of Williams’
“good” man, and brands need to weigh
masculinity: The macho that against simply targeting reach when
WARC AI image man and the “good” man, they select influencers.
as in the George Bailey of
“It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Show more than muscles Prepare for a reaction

A key drivers for suicides amongst men As with many other social issues, brands
is that they are brought up not to express that commit to challenging stereotypes
emotions. For media and advertising, of manhood should also anticipate that
simply presenting men capable of not everyone will support them. While
expressing themselves emotionally could there will be mounting pressure to
help cut suicide rates among young eliminate stereotypical male depictions in
males. advertising, there will also be those who
will attack the brand for being too “woke”
In recent years, several male celebrities, if they do so. For example, Gillette's The
including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Best Men Can Be campaign against
Michael Phelps, Ryan Reynolds and bullying divided opinion, with negative
Prince Harry, have been increasingly responses on the video's YouTube page
open about their struggles with mental heavily outnumbering positive ones.
illness. Depicted correctly, they offer
well-recognised examples of strong, Brands need to be clear on their position
successful men, who are also able to and long-term strategy, and then stay
express emotional needs. They can help committed to it. Flip-flopping on social
make the discussion about mental illness issues could be the worst of all options.
amongst men and boys more acceptable,
while also evolving their thinking around WARC AI image
perceptions of masculinity.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

In their own words
As an alcohol advertiser, we've certainly Cultural trends are constantly changing,

contributed to this culture, (but) we are starting including notions of masculinity. What we’re
to make the change that we need to see. It's seeing in the markets that Tiger is operating
really time now that we open the aperture (...) in is a broader definition of masculinity, and a
which broadens how men are depicted beyond, lot more openness about what this means and
and so replaces a single, undifferentiated idea of inclusivity around the different types.
masculinity with a multi-faceted view of what
this term can encompass.
Sean O'Donnell
Global Brand Director
Stephanie Jacoby Tiger
SVP/Brand Marketing
Diageo

Case Study
Gillette: Shaving off stereotypes
Agency: Grey India Advertiser: Gillette Market: India Explore the case study
India’s varied culture also includes They created a series of ads Results Takeaways
a number of ideological and challenging stereotypes around • The campaign sparked a national • Gillette recognised that to spark a conversation,
societal stereotypes. Gillette felt gender roles and occupations (The conversation with Gillette at the they had to question inherited notions and
it had an opportunity to help a barber shop girls), the definition heart of it. The barber shop girls behaviour. But they had to present a better way,
new generation of men at a key of strong men (Man enough to cry) commercial won India’s first rather than just be accusatory, or they would
and looking past wealth to change entertainment Lion at Cannes and simply make men defensive.
coming-of-age moment, who
peoples lives (Engineering change) inspired a TV show, sustaining the
research showed were actively
under the tag #ShavingStereotypes. campaign’s life beyond paid media. • The tag #ShavingStereotypes is a clever link,
looking to avoid being pulled
They also leveraged news outlets but essentially the brand looked at the ideas
down by such inherited notions
and arranged a press conference • It also increased consideration and mindset of the target audience rather than
and tropes.
featuring male role models who scores by 10 points and brand merely the product and category, and found a
challenged traditional stereotypes. equity by 9 points, while increase in way to connect their brand to the right, relevant
revenue was nearly 3x the spend, issues via clever creatives.
delivering an ROI of 2.9:1 for the
campaign.

1 2 3
Young men in developed economies are Marketers have contributed to this by Selection and support of influencers is
struggling to find their place in a new world supporting macho stereotypes, and will extremely important.
that is leaving them behind. face growing scrutiny moving forward.
Brands must move past simply looking at reach and
While there are growing support systems for women, It’s important that they rethink the depiction of men relevance, but also ask themselves whether they are
there are far fewer resources available for young men in advertising and communication, and encourage supporting influencers and content creators that will
and their problems. Traditional expectations of male depictions that are less macho, stoic and combative. be good role models, and offer positive and helpful
strength and stoicism make it even harder for men to Equally important, depictions of successful men should messages to young men?
ask for help. not always be tied to luxurious, flashy lifestyles.

WARC AI image
classic football boots with luxury leather texture,

money design as branding on surface of boots,
/imagine green leather, $100 dollar bill design, hyper realistic
-- stylize 700
Chapter 4
Sportswashing
changes the game
Sports retain a unique power to attract
large, real-time audiences. That has
yielded growing competition for media
rights, fresh content and sponsorship
opportunities, but also significant
investment from controversial sources.
Brands thus have more spaces to play, but
face new risks.

Chapter 4: Sportswashing changes the game The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
• Sponsorship: Oil giant Shell’s partnership with British New opportunities

Sports are a rare source of mass Cycling received significant blowback from climate At the same time, the battle for audiences is leading to fresh
reach as audiences – which advocates last year. opportunities, especially as streaming platforms boost their
increasingly view other types outlay on sporting rights and content. This has led to:
• Full/partial ownership: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment
of content on-demand – remain Fund’s association with football team Newcastle United • New formats, such as Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”
and merging its LIV Golf franchise with the PGA Tour both
eager to watch the action unfold documentary series, credited with expanding viewership
stirred controversy. for Formula One motor racing.
in real time. This heightens the
importance of sponsorship, but Fan responses to these moves are inconsistent, but third- • More exposure for growing sports, particularly for women,
party sponsors linked with these assets risk being accused where sportswashing is less prevalent.
provides new challenges for brands. of “complicity” with perceived bad actors, facing questions
around corporate values, and becoming activist targets. • Data-driven insights to track performance and fan
The rise of “sportswashing” attitudes in deeper ways.
The flip-side to accusations of sportswashing are that
One result from this concentration of eyeballs
these investments fuel economic growth and domestic
is the rise of “sportswashing”; governments
sports, from gaming to women’s boxing, enhance public
and businesses, that some observers regard as
health and wellbeing and open the Middle Eastern market to
“questionable”, investing in sports to bolster their
international sports brands.
reputations via:
“In the Middle East, sport is woven closely into people's

• Hosting events: The 2022 FIFA World Cup was
lives. It has been an effective tool in building communities,
held in Qatar despite concerns raised about
inspiring a growing generation of health-conscious citizens
human rights; Saudi Arabia’s winning bid for the
and strengthening the region's reputation on the global
2034 tournament has already been met with
stage”, according to professional services company, PwC.
similar opposition by critics.

Marketers connect sports When deciding to sponsor or advertise during a

sporting event, how important is it that the organisers/
and politics owners be untainted by scandals or human rights
concerns or be politically divisive in any way?
Half of executives in the Marketer’s As only 11% of the entire panel believed
Toolkit survey agreed the debate sports and fandom “have nothing to
around popular sports and do” with social or political matters, Not at all important
sociopolitical issues – be it human sportswashing appears to be an
rights or racial discrimination – is increasingly mainstream concern.
intensifying.
6%
That may soon translate into actual
spending decisions, as 61% of
There were regional differences here, with
participants concurred that, when
contributors in Europe (57%) and North
deciding to sponsor or advertise during
33%
America (50%) over-indexing on this
an event, it is “very important” for sports
metric versus Asia Pacific (37%).
organisers and owners to avoid being
Forty-nine percent of marketers in politically divisive. Europe again led the

way (69%), followed by Asia Pacific (56%)
61% Somewhat
important
Asia Pacific, however, said political Very
issues “occasionally” arise in relation to and North America (45%). important
sports, even if these topics are not fully
Brands will always be primarily interested
“connected in consumer thinking”. That
in factors like cost and reach, but WARC’s
total stood at 41% in North America and
survey indicates that sportswashing is
33% in Europe.
now a real, and growing, concern.

For rightsholders and sports brands, the economic logic this could necessitate a fine balance of addressing popular
of "sportswashing" is clear: Deep-pocketed partners, concerns while not harming relations with rightsholders
whether corporate or state-affiliated, appear invaluable in a and certain governments – they might, for instance, want to
Claims of sportswashing are
resource-hungry industry. This finance-first viewpoint has focus communications on athletes instead of controversial
increasingly widespread – been advanced by Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s locations.
from tennis and cycling to prime minister, in response to critics, too.
mixed martial arts, esports Thinking bigger

The wider costs are nascent, but include athlete discontent,
The hunger for sports content from over-the-top platforms
and even chess. scrutiny from governments and sporting bodies, and fan
is opening the way for new thinking, which may particularly
protests. Due diligence, and caution, are advisable.
appeal in categories, like food and beverages, where
Finding the right fit competition around sponsorship is especially fierce.
Despite the challenges, sports remain a natural passion

A case in point: documentary series “Welcome to
point for brands to leverage.
Wrexham” proved that Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds
But, in finding the ideal tie-up, marketers now have to and Rob McElhenney had the power to attract large digital
consider traditional factors, like in-person attendance and audiences, and drive revenue, for a lower-league Welsh
online engagement, and ethical issues, such as if a US football team through storytelling.
company can support LGBTQ+ rights at home and sponsor
events in a nation criminalising homosexuality. This approach – for instance, relating to fast-growing
sports or under-served communities – might ultimately be
At minimum, sponsors must be ready to discuss these more impactful than simply adding a logo to a jersey or a
WARC AI image
matters, rather than side-step them. For global marketers, billboard.

In their own words
There’s a danger with the term If a brand is using sports sponsorships to

“sportswashing”, because it becomes one whitewash controversy, it's important to
of those words that's now thrown around remember that genuine brand values and
all over the place for when people don't like actions speak louder than publicity stunts.
something, especially in the world of sport.
MJ Wang
James Williams CMO
Investor/Advisor Catlink
Nobody Studios

Case Study
PGA/LIV merger
Advertiser: PGA Golf Market: Global Explore the case study
The planned merger of the PGA plus uncertainty over broadcaster and Results Takeaways
Tour with LIV Golf, a tournament sponsor contracts, and the intended • Various sponsors ended or “paused” • The influx of money can have mixed
series backed by Saudi Arabia’s December 31st, 2023 deadline appears affiliations with LIV golfers before the PGA effects on ad rates and sponsorship
Public Investment Fund (PIF), was at risk. tie-up, showing the challenges of reacting pricing.
announced in June 2023, and to evolving circumstances.
For sponsors, there is an economic • Sponsors must be ready for multiple
illustrates the multi-faceted
debate about whether this tie-up will • LIV Golf had struggled to attract scenarios in relation to sportswashing,
dynamics of perceived
yield better value and more eyeballs sponsors, partly due to ethical concerns; ranging from governmental scrutiny to fan
sportswashing.
or higher ad and partnership costs. the PGA tie-up has not eradicated those disengagement.
Beyond that, there are issues around in any meaningful sense.
After initial criticism of LIV, and the
ethical consistency, potentially • The political environment is subject to
filing of lawsuits by both sides, the PGA
conflicting incentives for international • Consumer reactions seem contradictory: constant change, leaving third-party
was accused of “stunning hypocrisy”
sponsors active in Saudi Arabia, and there is widespread support for a sponsors in a vulnerable position.
and a “cash grab” for inking this big-
possible repercussions from future government investigation, but initial ire
budget deal. Throw in government
geopolitical tensions. among fans has moderated.
investigations, antitrust questions,

Case Study
adidas: Equal Play
Agency: FP7 McCann Advertiser: adidas Market: United Arab Emirates Explore the case study
Sports brand adidas is an official – especially those seen as “legends” – Results Takeaways
sponsor of the FIFA World Cup for as teams, adidas decided to champion • The initiative reached 3.4 million people • In cluttered sponsorship environments,
men and women. icons of the female game during the attending the World Cup in Doha and identifying relevant ways to stand out
men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 15 million people on social media. from the crowd is a vital task.
In line with its agenda to promote
female athletes and sports, the brand It asked fans on social media to name • Alongside a 149% increase in online • Established brands can tap into the
sought to tackle the gender bias that three legends to feature on giant sand conversations relating to the Women’s challenger spirit if they actively promote
results in the women’s World Cup murals on Doha Beach. Instead of World Cup, positive association and under-served communities and sports.
receiving lower viewership, media depicting any of the male stars that comments about this subject rose
coverage and online chatter than its were proposed, however, it unveiled by 15%. • Subverting expectations is a powerful
male counterpart. images of three icons in women’s route to stimulating debate and
soccer – Mary Fowler, Farah Jefry and • Brand buzz for adidas climbed by encouraging people to rethink their
Based on the insight that fans are Catarina Macario – and used social 11.7 points compared to the start biases.
often as interested in specific players media to further this conversation. of the World Cup.

1 2 3
Sports can draw eyeballs and generate Brands need to think about the importance A desire for more sports content on the
engagement that almost no other content of purpose – and if these values are truly part of over-the-top platforms can present
is able to match in a fragmented media applied to every aspect of their marketing. new ways for brands to tell stories and
landscape. engage audiences.
That does not mean ending a sponsorship as difficult
Entities accused of sportswashing, whether regimes conversations arise, but it does require a willingness If traditional sponsorship typically involved logos
or corporations, may leverage sports to bolster their to engage with unhappy consumers and openness to and billboards, marketers now have an opportunity to
reputations, given that fans and pundits will likely meaningful dialogue on hard topics. develop new content formats, engage with different
splinter off across countless media venues to argue the communities, and measure the results in more
ethics behind these partnerships, or to avoid the debate granular ways.
altogether.

WARC AI image
Chapter 5
Sustainability is
coming home
Growing concerns about climate
change are forcing more sustainable
practices from businesses. But without
generally agreed metrics and with limited
visibility across supply-chains, they fear
accusations of “greenwashing”.
Instead, marketers can pivot to more local,

simple, community-based sustainability
initiatives to help brands build credible
consumer trust on this issue.
sustainable home desk pod made of wood
in shape and style of The Hanging Gardens
/imagine of Babylon, foliage, plants, greenery
-- stylize 700

Chapter 5: Sustainability is coming home The Marketer’s Toolkit 2024
Sustainability begins
at the doorstep
Sustainability initiatives face Rather than issuing broad global mandates on
a market paradox: catering to new sustainability initiatives, at a time when
demand for environmentally- visibility into supply-chains still limited, and there
are no broadly accepted metrics for measuring
friendly products but also sustainability, a focus on sustainability initiatives
rising concerns about at the grassroots level could offer marketers a
solution.
credibility. As climate
change concerns ramp up, There’s much to be said for actions over words,
businesses face pressure and directly, actively leading community initiatives
shows a brand’s tangible commitment. However,
from both regulators and engagement without understanding local nuance
consumers to cut carbon and market realities could undermine the benefit
to the brand. Context is critical, and will shape the
emissions, and choose
issues that people respond to the most at a local
‘greener’ ways to do business. level.
Sustainability could potentially become a new

Ironically, as consumers and regulators dimension of brand trust, driving differentiation and
crack down on ‘greenwashing’, a rising tide amplifying growth. The key to that, however, is for
of ‘greenhushing’ is resulting – with brands marketers to help re-orient their businesses towards
increasingly afraid of alienating a discerning “systemic thinking”, seeing themselves as stewards
and socially-conscious consumer base or of a brand within an ecosystem where consumers
WARC AI image
falling foul of regulators. are as much stakeholders as potential customers.

Moving away from Which of these best describes how your company will measure its performance
internal measurement on sustainability objectives next year?
standards
 Toolkit 2023  Toolkit 2024
The impact of regulatory scrutiny is
acutely reflected in how marketers 35%
are planning to measure sustainability
performance next year. 30% 29%
According to WARC’s survey, nearly a third 25% 25%

25%
(29%) are working towards measurable 23% 23%
objectives in conjunction with recognised 21%
20%
external standards – an increase of 12pp
17% 17%
from 17% last year. Europe leads the charge
(33%) with APAC (25%) and North America 15%
(20%) following suit.
10% 10%
10%
These external standards provide an
objective benchmark and guardrails in
5%
the often murky territory of sustainability
measurement. By doing so, companies
not only gain credibility but allow brands 0%
We are evaluating our We are working towards We don’t have a single We are not following We are not focused on
to confidently stand out in a crowded performance using an measurable objectives measurement approach, specific metrics; sustainability next year
marketplace by offering products and internally-developed in conjunction with but various initiatives sustainability is more
framework with clear, recognised external have been undertaken of a general goal
practices that meet widely accepted
measurable goals standards, sustainability across the organisation
sustainability benchmarks. consultants, NGOs
or industry groups

Building brand equity from the ground-up What kind of local community-level sustainability
activities is your company conducting?
Sustainability is a systemic problem also double down on changing what they
requiring a multifaceted approach. solely control – namely investing in local  Currently running  Planning for next year  Not currently planned
Marketers, in particular, need to communities (38%), advertising production
reimagine their roles in this ecosystem (26%) and media decarbonisation (21%).
and take on a broader and more Recycling options at key locations 66% 11% 23%
Notably, investing in local communities
transformative role within their Education and training to drive
was the second key area of focus for 65% 18% 17%
organisations. Not only can marketing greener behaviours from employees
marketers. Local initiatives vary, but focusing
be the connective tissue that
on community-level actions has key Buying from local sustainable providers 60% 13% 27%
ensures all actions are aligned to the
implications for marketers including:
company’s sustainability promise but it
Plastic recovery 56% 16% 28%
can also champion the consumer voice. • Building positive perception, trust and
believability by supporting local causes Litter pick up 49% 12% 39%
This entails collaborating with various that consumers care about.
stakeholders and influencing everything Tree planting or other
47% 18% 35%
from product design to supply chain planting for biodiversity
• Generating positive word-of-mouth
management. According to our Toolkit marketing. Using or generating green energy
43% 18% 39%
survey, marketers are focusing on (e.g. adding solar panels to facilities)
sustainable innovation (45%), supply chain • Creating a positive feedback loop, Circular economy: taking
40% 14% 46%
distribution (33%), packaging (29%) and back old products
providing valuable sources of information
manufacturing (24%). about the needs and preferences of the Maintaining parks and green spaces 37% 13% 50%
local market.
While sustainability marketing will become
Offering EV fueling stations 21% 11% 69%
more interconnected to other functions, • Making sustainability accessible by
marketers and agency leaders alike must educating the market. 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Cutting through generic ‘sustainability speak’

climate change but are disengaged. In • Partner with and show tangible impact Choose laughter over lectures
APAC, Kantar research shows that only for local communities. Beer brand • Humour is both a universal and deeply
17% are actively changing their behavior. Corona launched the first-ever global
With sustainability personal emotion. Use it not only to cut
Plastic Fishing Tournament rewarding through, but engage with consumers
becoming table stakes The opportunity lies in growing the market fishermen for reclaiming and selling in a category-relevant way, such as
for any modern day by encouraging “demand switching” to plastic waste to recycling companies. Hellman’s Mayo Tackles Food Waste
greener products and connecting with Super Bowl Ad.
brand, it becomes more tangible issues instead of overly relying on Show “what is in it for me”
difficult to stand out science-led sustainability claims that don’t • Contextualise the problem and solution • While it was controversial, Apple’s
resonate. in an everyday way – ads that start this
if they use the same “Mother Nature” ad used humour and
way have a 11% higher Creative Effect storytelling to communicate complex
generic claims and Connect to local issues Index. environmental issues.
messages for marketing. and narratives
• Align with cultural expectations. • Link sustainability claims to personal • Australian recycled toilet paper brand
Language and imagery around the benefits around “my health, wealth and Who Gives A Crap uses a tongue-in-
issue may vary hugely by culture and world.” cheek tone of voice and packaging
are the catalyst for action. design to give audiences a compelling
A part of this problem is focusing only on • Unilever launched Smart Fill in India – a reason to switch.
the ‘eco-activism’ narrative – an approach • Create multilingual resources to ensure circular economy approach that made
that only appeals to a niche and engaged that messaging doesn’t get lost in the most of Indians’ sense of thrift and
segment. 5 out of 7 segments (that represent translation, especially for non-English their resourcefulness, without asking
69% of the British population) believe in speaking audiences. shoppers to sacrifice time and effort.

In their own words
The right messages are those that connect We adopt a personalised approach at L'Oréal,
climate change to personal identity; our life emphasising a 'Glocalisation Strategy.' While the
– not future lives, not the world, (but) our strategy's framework is global, we consider local
community; (...) our child – not just children. specificities when implementing it. We engage with
local communities because we believe in respecting
local culture and insights. [...] We believe that
John Marshall the local cultural context can help us define the
Marketing Professor priorities or the key areas we should focus on.
and Founder and CEO
Potential Energy Coalition
Janet Neo
Chief Sustainability Officer
North Asia & China
L’Oreal

Case Study
AB InBev:
Plastic Fishing Tournament
Agency: We Believers Advertiser: AB InBev Market: Global Explore the case study
Corona, a beer brand, launched term commitments and committed Results Takeaways
the first-ever global Plastic to hosting the plastic fishing • Brand perception as a socially • Climate change is an enduring problem –
Fishing Tournament, rewarding tournaments for years to come. responsible brand increased 4x in the brand solutions must think about how it
fishermen for selling plastic waste first two years since the plastic fishing can create a virtuous cycle that is not only
to recycling companies to help Not only did the campaign help to tournament began. good for the business but also various
encourage plastic recycling but stakeholders.
reclaim the remaining amounts
enabled change on the government • Fastest-growing brand in the portfolio,
of paradise in our oceans and
level, and provided a second source of expanding more than 3x the industry • While taking a community-centric
beaches and find ways to eliminate
income for the fisherman, particularly average, specifically achieving double- approach is important, big brands must
plastic pollution while increasing
in places with fishing bans in force. digit sales growth in countries where the think about how to leverage their scale in
brand perception and sales. Since its inception, the tournament idea was executed. order to maximise impact.
has been held in 12 countries and
Corona partnered with brands
increased from six events to 105 in • Extracted 200 tons of plastic.
globally to launch recycling initiatives,
one year.
secured government pacts and long-

1 2 3
Consumer pressure and increased Influence behaviour change by making Sustainability marketing is not just about
regulatory scrutiny is pressuring businesses sustainability accessible and locally compliance, but community participation.
to do more to fight climate change. relevant.
Marketing should reimagine their role in creating
They will have to drive greener business practices People’s experience of sustainability is influenced by shared value amongst various stakeholders in the
while being very careful not to overstate the impact of physical and cultural contexts. Enabling behaviour ecosystem, particularly with consumers. When
their initiatives. Maximum transparency, both into their change and growing the sustainability market brands engage with the community in sustainability
supply chains and the specifics of how they measure means being mindful of various market realities and efforts, they can gain the support and buy-in of a
sustainability initiatives, would be well advised. dejargonising messaging by showing personal benefits broader range of stakeholders that help to mitigate
to the consumers, rather than relying solely on science. against greenwashing accusations and protect brand
reputation. This includes employees, customers,
investors, and regulatory bodies.

Contact us
David Tiltman Aditya Kishore Stephen Whiteside Cathy Taylor Alex Brownsell Anna Hamill
SVP Content Insight Director Head of Content, Americas Commissioning Editor, US Head of Content Senior Editor, Brands
WARC WARC WARC WARC Strategy WARC Media WARC
Rica Facundo Isabel Cleaver Stephanie Siew Sian Bateman Biprorshee Das Jenny Chan
APAC Editor Senior Analyst Research Executive Manager, Content Analysis India Editor China Editor
WARC WARC WARC WARC WARC Strategy WARC
London New York Singapore

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The Evolution of Marketing
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WARC | Strategy WARC AI image

woman sitting legs crossed surrounded

WARC AI image WARC AI image WARC AI image

This year's Toolkit identifies five trends that will

© Copyright WARC 2022.

2 Unlocking the potential of Gen AI

4 Sportswashing changes the game

5 Sustainability is coming home

© Copyright WARC 2023. All rights reserved. 3

Capturing growth in the YOLO economy

© Copyright WARC 2023. All rights reserved. 4

challenge of marketing to an increasingly

© Copyright WARC 2023. All rights reserved. 5

The Marketer’s Toolkit is based on

Once this research identifies the disruptive

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Preparing for the

bullet hole piercing blue beer can,

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Culture war controversies are everywhere.

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There is far more consensus about the best

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Despite appearances, Degrees of polarisation across countries differ

polarisation isn’t binary

My country is very/extremely divided...

Barometer split 28 countries into four

groups based on degree of polarisation. Moderately polarised

the least polarised, the US, Spain and China

Source: Edelman Trust Barometer 2023.

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Knowing your audience Knowing your brand

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In their own words

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WARC AI image WARC AI image

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confident woman walking away from the

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Advertisers are mostly embracing the 60%

Advertisers are most likely to deploy

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Non-generative forms of AI are also having

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In their own words

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WARC AI image WARC AI image

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While equal rights activists have driven

This will have profound implications for brands, from

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Still, there is either a ‘say-do’ gap, or

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This is true of both advanced countries with

defined by social proof