Lucien Etori

Our latest Fads & Futures report is out. Have a look and let me know your thoughts. Fads & Futures is where we collect all that is relevant right now, and what we believe may be important in the future. Check it out. #point #FadsandFutures #Marketing

8

2 Comments

Four Havas agencies have lost their B Corp certification because their sister agency Havas Media has a contract with oil giant Shell. This decision underscores the stringent standards B Corps must adhere to, particularly regarding environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility. 🌍✅ How will this affect the perception of corporate responsibility in the advertising world? Does this decision signal a shift towards more accountability in business partnerships? Read more about the implications of this decision for Havas and the advertising industry. https://lnkd.in/gG8JSsNd #CorporateResponsibility #Sustainability #Bcorp #AdvertisingIndustry

3

#CauseAndEffect #BurdenOfProof #BetterSafeThanSorry Unsolicited advice for advertisers making claims about net-zero emissions, bamboo products, or recyclability: Until there is clarity on what qualifies as an “internationally recognized methodology,” it’s probably best to stop making environmental claims - not just in the oil and gas sector -, or have a chat with legal.

1

Fashion and brands are way more than entertainment - they are an #experience in and of themselves and a way we define/experience ourselves. Beyond that are a form of non-verbal communication, self-expression, beliefs, biases, a barometer of what we value, and most importantly they can influence how we feel about the world - positive or negative (cultural anthropology). #brainmanagement

2

When was AUTHENTICITY ever out? Hmm. I believe AUTHENTIC PURPOSE remains front and center in the minds of today's modern, conscious consumer - that will never change. Just look at Patagonia, IMPOSSIBLE Foods, Dove, Ben+Jerry's, E.L.F. Beauty, to name a few. And to say AI is trending is like saying oxygen is trending... technology will always enable us to get messages out faster, better, cheaper. But AI is not an idea that lives in the heart of citiizens and the wallets of consumers. #Authenticity #BrandPurpose #Cannes2024

28

10 Comments

I got that feeling, because Im at Target, Sipping a latte, Shopping for nothing, but buying everything. Isn't this Yargets overall strategy? They want us to stroll, roam, browse, and enjoy being in their store. This ad is absolutely hilarious and brilliant. It highlights the thing about Target that we all love and evokes emotion. While watching this commercial I saw myself in a few of these characters (cough, cough, the latte drinker, and plant enthusiast). 🎵 Perfect song choice. When it feels like a no-brainer that this ad worked.... that means its a real gem and a marketing win. Watch the Ad 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSQ2e9nY #Target #TargetStores #targetCommercial #FunnyCommercial #Marketing #MarketingWin #MarketingSuccess #MarketingInsights

1

This is a must-read for CMOs! Mars United Commerce recently spoke with CMOs at leading retailers to hear what business challenges they are currently facing. Michele Roney outlines three key capabilities retailer CMOs must build within their marketing organizations to help tackle these challenges. Link to read it in the comments 👇

12

1 Comment

Inspired by Irene Triendl’s recent post about how invaluable ‘The art of war’ is to aspiring strategists, I thought I’d write a list of ten books that have helped me over the years 10 x Books for great #strategy: Count of Monte Christo by Edward Dumas - you will need to take revenge at some point, learn how. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - a good lesson in being an unloved junior strategist, disappearing for years only to reemerge a brooding menace to all around you. Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Noel Chomsky and Edward Herman - there will be times when you really need to manufacture that consent. Moby dick by Herman Melville- a great lesson in whaling (new business). Catch 22 by Joseph Heller - for when you need some relatively sensible, coherent and sequential relief from 11th hour feedback, deadline looming. The heart is a lonely hunter by Carson McCullers - so is a strategist my babes xoxoxo The shock of the new by Robert Hughes - are you ready for ART cos that’s what you’re getting with my STRATEGY you PEASANTS it will be a balm to your fractured, modern psyches. Debt: the first 5000 years by David Graeber - this isn’t for reading, this is for keeping on/near/under your desk so that when someone complains about how long a deck is you can grab it and reply “well at least it’s not as long as David Graeber’s Debt: the first 5000 years!!!!” Don’t think of an elephant by George Lakoff - seriously though whatever you do don’t think of an elephant. I’ve never ONCE had a client buy ANY of my elephant related ideas. Lean in by Sheryl Sanderg - a great lesson in perfecting the terrible posture all anxiety ridden strategists have: ideally you want a spine like a dung beetle rolling a Sisyphean boulder of insight up the mountain of success. Hope this helps

4

3 Comments

Good quote from felicity long of Bain & Company in her reflections of the experience of being on the Creative Data jury at Cannes Lions. 'After my judging experience, someone asked me: “Do you have to come to a full consensus or a majority?” I said: “A full consensus.” She responded: “Wow, like an actual jury. How did you manage that with a room full of different people, cultures, styles and personalities?” My answer was: “Respectful debate, where there is room for all opinions, space to discuss them and a set of people willing to have their minds changed." As a world, and as businesses, I think we have lost this ability at times, and I was acutely aware of the privilege of having not only the time but also an amazing set of people to view work through their lens and debate with. We need to build more time for this in our industry, it will create better work.' An important issue for both agencies and their clients: with the shared aim of generating better work, how do you not only build in more time for debate but also, critically, ensure that all participants bring an open mind and collaborative spirit to the process of reviewing ideas? #creativeideas #advertising #advertisingdevelopment #creativereview https://lnkd.in/eKUmBeY6

2

Over the past three years we've completed an impact assessment as a way to continue hold ourselves accountable. To remain honest and humble. To stay hungry for improvement. We've released our latest assessment on how we did in 2023. This year presented we were being confronted with a lot of difficult contradictions. It is both true that our business is stronger than it's ever been, and that we lost in Alain a friend, a leader, and a beacon of progress. It is both true that we're not alone in having a strong financial year last year, and that I've heard from other founders that even in a winning year it felt like a 12 round prize fight. A volatile macroeconomic moment, backlash against social progress that had been hard won by countless people doing The Work in the preceding years, and a new era of technological transformation spawned on by AI. It was, simply, a lot. But we realized amidst that volatility, and steeped in our own grief, that this is the test. Stating your values and beliefs is easy when they're not being tested. The reality is, when your values are being challenged is when you find out what you really believe in. Progress is forged through adversity. As a company, as a community, and as individuals we've chosen to take this moment as an opportunity to restate and recommit to those values and to each other. I will say, the act of building this over the past few months has been difficult but cathartic. It was a genuine community effort, but at the front of that effort was Jillian Rosen, Natalie Berry, and Douglas Quenqua driving the audit and content, Chris Konya and Aaron L. Powers bringing wisdom and honesty, Brian Okarski and Daniel Abary bringing it to life with soul and care. If you have a chance to read it, we welcome feedback. Making progress doesn't happen in a vacuum, it's a community effort— and I would put up the love and support in our community against any I've ever encountered. If you're reading this, I hope you feel that.

24

Speak out on topics that truly matter and authentically align with your brand's values. And do not play the short game of acquiescing to the usual mob of purpose-haters. #SocialJustice #BrandValues #TakeAction

10

I've always wanted to hear more from Eric Seufert on creative, specifically. Eric has written a few brilliant pieces on the subject over the past few years (including The inflationary impact of AI-generated ad creative,) but I've never found a Q+A that dives into how he'd approach ideation, testing, learning and scaling in this new era. So we're having a chat. Eric is next week's Screenshare Session and it's a can't miss. We'll be joined by one of our top strategists, Aly Freeman who will help dig into the grittier parts of the latest testing strategies, et al. that she knows a lot more about than I do. We’ll unpack: → Trends and challenges affecting performance markers → Why creative is still the ultimate growth lever → Creative production and optimization frameworks geared to boost ROAS Lots of screen sharing and real talk as always. It’s happening on Wednesday, July 17 @ 10am PT Space is limited https://lnkd.in/g9yDWxQb

25

2 Comments

In close to 20 years of going to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I've never seen such a difference between what was happening inside the Palais and out. This year Retail Media activations popped up like California wildflowers in Spring. What might we learn from past waves? My thoughts below. #RetailMedia #CommerceMedia

159

10 Comments

Emotion is derived from the Latin word movere (to move) and is one of the primary forces that activates or energizes our behaviors. This is why we strive for emotion in advertising, to move audiences to action. Disgust is one of the seven universal emotions. This campaign from AMV BBDO elicits disgust while driving voters to take action against MP's responsible for raw sewage dumping. Warning don't read the below article, featured in LBBonline - Little Black Book, while eating your lunch. #disgusting #advertising #environment

6

1 Comment

Netflix has the DNA of a disruptor but as this piece explains, ad-free mass media is proving to be a “blip” and advertising revenue is now key to its growth. “Netflix is no different to Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast — just another international TV company that is dependent on the same economic equation,” the publication’s editor-in-chief writes. I find it fascinating, though not surprising, that the world’s largest streaming service is headed “back to the future” and the proven economics of traditional ad-funded television. It’s great news for advertisers who will be able to increasingly access Netflix’s valuable audience. https://lnkd.in/esyAsQRX

9

CC:DC Cannes Can: Diversity Collective Panel: STANDING ON BUSINESS: HOW CONTINUOUS INVESTMENTS IN THE CREATOR ECONOMY STRENGTHENS LONG-TERM GLOBAL IMPACT This was a dope panel that featured some disruptors and emerging voices in the #creator space. As a 16-year ad vet who has done a lot of work in the creator and influencer space here are some of the perspectives that resonated with me. Tiffany Hardin shared this real talk: 💲 Have conversations about pay with your friends. Creators need to share rates so they all can win. ❓ Every brand leader needs to know who is on their procurement list. We all know friends who work at different agencies and who have started different ventures. (Put them on and diversify who your brand or agency works with). 💡 Brand leaders have to train their team to work with creators of color and ensure it's the rule and not the exception because of the news cycle. Marinda Yelverton was talking money moves! 🔐 Look at brands as an extension of you and brands should look at you as an extension of them by building long-term relationships. 💵 Diversify your income. Don't just focus on brand deals. Affiliate, subs, merch, licensing. Etc. And diversify your platforms! My fave industry disrupter, Walter T Geer III had a lot of truth to tell about the agency side of things. 🤜🏾 We need to develop relationships in the agency and send the elevator back down for another opportunity. ✔ Have people at the table as decision-makers. You can be a CMO or CCO but still be uncomfortably demanding things. 🎯 Focus on bringing new talent into the agency and mentorship. It's about creating opportunity for everyone. Crystal Barnes shared how to ABC (always be closing): 💰 As a creator, once you work with a brand on the Super Bowl you need to say I know you have x, y, z upcoming... How do we continue this partnership? (Extend the bag!) #Cannes2024 #CannesxCulture #MyCannesPOV

57

10 Comments

"The one thing that will never fade away is the ability of brands to have powerful ideas and identities that intersect with the culture. That is the superpower for brands, that is the ultimate hack, and it will stand the test of time." Check out my conversation with Rebecca Harris from the National Post, Inc. about the importance of intersecting brands with culture to stay relevant today. https://lnkd.in/gnDxd7zd Courage Inc

107

16 Comments

Interesting read. I used to think the opposite before I began working with sustainable brands and saw the data first hand. For many, the biggest converting point isn't in sustainability alone. If you market/advertise sustainable brands, have you seen younger demographics have greater interest in your products? How do you convert wealthier people and make them care? What other value props do you pair into your messaging to find success? https://lnkd.in/gF6pupBa

4

3 Comments