Ben Young
Ben Young
March 27, 2020

If you haven’t yet, this would be the edition you forward to your CMO 🙂

One big thing
We took a peek at Nudge data and brand content consumption is through the roof, if you’re a marketer trying to stay relevant, invest more in content.

Gif showing that content consumption is up by 39%

In some pockets we saw it as high as 80% increase and we are seeing week on week increases.

If you’re a marketer and not sure what to do to stay relevant. There’s your answer.

But it’s not all gravy for everyone, jobless claims in the US were sharp.

Americans displaced by the coronavirus crisis filed unemployment claims in record numbers, with the Labor Department reporting Thursday a surge to 3.28 million.

And that doesn’t include independent contractors, which are as high as 1 in 10 people.

If you’re looking for a gig, or have a gig on your team, please do share them. And I’ll add to next week's newsletter. And make any connections before that edition and/or tweet from our handle @giveitanudge.

We’re offering access to Nudge to anyone that could use it to secure ongoing work.

And now is the time to invest.

I caught these BBH Labs numbers via @jdaykin,

  • Brands that cut advertising budgets most aggressively took 5 years to recover.
  • Brands that go dark during recessions suffer significant brand metrics declines.
  • Reductions create short term returns but significant long-term losses.

The most salient, strong brands recovered 9x faster.

If you see any initiatives that support employment and investment, please do share. If yours is a brand who is investing – expedite hiring. This is the time when companies and leaders define themselves.

Content is at an all-time high, strong brands define themselves in times like this. Hire now.

Notable stories this week

  • Marketers were led to believe their ads appeared against brand-safe content on the streaming service, such as The Three Stooges, when in reality they were buying ads in screensaver apps or apps for lonely pets when their owners aren’t home, Pixalate has found. And further, these kids apps were clicking ads in the background.
  • ^^ When your pet is an unwitting accomplice to ad fraud.
  • Learnings from BBH on how smart brands are built during downturns. Do give this a retweet.
  • HP launches new branded content with Vice and The Economist.
  • DailyHive is offering free social advertising to local businesses across Canada.
  • Trusted Media Brands is pitching a hybrid sponsorship and affiliate model.
  • How publishers are adjusting on the fly in a time of uncertainty.
  • NuFace is adjusting its social marketing amid coronavirus.
  • The deals must go on, as industry events disappear, execs look to recreate deals at a distance.
  • “Revenue will fall away quite quickly” Hearst UK CEO James Wildman on navigating crisis.
  • CMO Council urges marketers to increase content.
  • [Zoom of the week] What is ad tech doing to weather the storm?
  • A freelancer's guide to the coronavirus downturn: jobs, resources and support networks.

Campaign of the week

Branded content by HP on VICE

Smartest commentary

  • From BBH: “Protect Budgets. Brands that reduce their spends during times of recession often come out the other end weaker. Every business will have its own unique features but history tells us on average marketing budgets should be protected, not raided for recovery.”

Datapoints of note

Thanks,

Ben


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