NEWS
HOW TO WIN IN 2018: 4 CONTAGIOUS TRENDS
On the final day of ADFEST 2018, Paul Kemp-Robertson presented one of the most popular sessions of this year’s four-day festival. Called ‘How to win in 2018’, Kemp-Robertson – who is Co-Founder of Contagious, based in London – unveiled four groundbreaking trends, which the world’s most adventurous brands are pioneering. #1. Brands are becoming part of the cultural conversation To illustrate how brave brands are becoming part of the cultural conversation, he showcased a recent campaign from Jigsaw in the UK called ‘Love Immigration’, which has its own manifesto celebrating British diversity. Jigsaw even encouraged its employees to take DNA samples to prove how ethnically diverse Brits are, sharing their results on social media. The night before the campaign launched, Jigsaw’s CEOPeter Ruiswas terrified – he worried it could cause problems for staff, yet felt strongly that the brand had to take a stance in support of diversity. “The response was a massive increase in social engagement and positive sentiment. Jigsaw’s agency – The Corner – identified what the brand cares about and what the customer cares about, and found out where those two intersect. You are always going to annoy someone – the key is making sure you annoy the right people,” said Kemp-Robertson. Joining the cultural conversation starts with having fully articulated company values. These values should guide the marketing you make, the people you hire, and the clients you work with, he explained. #2. Redefining masculinity Forward-thinking brands are avoiding toxic male stereotypes by better representing modern masculinity. This trend, dubbed ‘Modern Masculinity’, is a response to brand feminism. Since 2015, we’ve seen lots of reappraisals of how women are portrayed in advertising as more brands battle traditional gender stereotypes. This reappraisal is now belatedly being applied to the other half of the population. It seems brands have cottoned onto the fact that many guys are eager to distance themselves from labels – they don’t want to be portrayed merely as beer drinkers who shave. In fact, 52% of UK men do not feel represented in ads. “And if half the people you’re targeting feel misrepresented, they’ll just switch off,” warned Kemp-Robertson. Brands like Axe are celebrating more diverse masculine identities, and having a more inclusive discussion about what it means to be a man. To capitalize on this trend, you need to take a stand against stereotypes. “Be emotional. Don’t be scared. Showcase your customers. Break down barriers in your messaging.” #3. Honesty and transparency Trust in the big four institutions (business, government, media and NGOs) has never been lower, and it’s not hard to see why with Cambridge Analytica, leaks, business scandals and “data breach after data breach”, said Kemp-Robertson. If you want to establish trust quickly as a brand, be transparent. Contagious believes the brands doing it best are start-ups: companies like Everlane, which reveals the full cost of everything from tax duties to supply chain processes and profit margins; or Beautify, UK, which also lays out the costs of items they sell. It’s a trend that’s impacting many sectors – another fabulous example is Lemonade, an insurance start-up with an entirely fresh and transparent model; Southwest Airlines with its no hidden fees; or Absolut’s latest nudist campaign with ‘nothing to hide’. What does this mean for marketers? “Think about new benchmarks being set by start-ups and how you can borrow them. Business as usual is a risk. Think outside the status quo. And remember that transparency offers one of the best opportunities to re-build trust in your brand.” #4. Agile long-termism Marketers have a tendency to focus on short-term results versus keeping an eye on the long-term prize. As an industry, we need to refocus on the long game. First, you need to determine ‘The Why?’ of your existence. “Having an organising principle can spark creativity. But beyond having it, you need to reinforce it,” suggests Kemp-Robertson. To embrace adaptive long-termism in 2018, brands must have a dogged ability to keep an eye on the long-term, and ensure feedback is looped into their processes. “Allow experimentation. Rinse and repeat,” he concluded, quoting the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos: “Be stubborn on vision, but flexible on details”. * ‘How to win in 2018: Contagious Trends For Future-Proof Brands’ took place during ADFEST 2018, 21st to 24th March. www.contagious.com
