Author: Zenergy

Podcasts are Helping Brands Meet DEI Commitments

Brands are upholding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments by tapping into podcast ads, a platform that Nielsen estimates a 73% brand recall among Black listeners and a doubling of 25- to 39-year-old Hispanic listeners over the past three years.

Podcast networks also are ramping up inclusion efforts such as SiriusXM’s deal with Spanish-language specialist reVolver Podcasts.

#ProTip: To reach diversified audiences authentically, use host-read ads. These are the best performing ads, because they come directly from the host’s mouth, a trusted source for the audience.

Need help connecting with a more diversified audience? DM us!

Going to Shoptalk in Las Vegas?

Book a Meeting

Thousands of professionals attend Shoptalk each year. From established retailers and brands, startups, tech companies, to investors, real estate operators, media, and more they come to learn, collaborate and create the future of retail during four days of curated meetings, productive networking and facilitated social engagements.

Zenergy’s President Linda Farha will be onsite. Book a meeting, DM us!

#DigitalServices: Open Rates of 98%: SMS Marketing

SMS marketing is incredibly popular because of its 98% open rate versus an average of 22% using email marketing. This relatively affordable approach lets you instantly reach customers wherever they are. Not only that, it can also be customized and easily automated.

While specific strategies will vary, the following are a few main categories outlining the types of SMS messages you can use as part of a campaign:

• Promotional messages including sales, discounts, new product announcements, etc.
• Transactional messages such as purchase confirmations, delivery information, etc

Interested in learning more about SMS marketing? DM us!

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What We’re Reading

3 Ways Social Media Is Changing How We Do Business

GDMA, IPG Find Consumers Becoming Data ‘Capitalists,’ Willing To Trade Personal Info

Workers’ Sense Of Worth Grew During Covid And So Did Their Expectations, Says Microsoft

[PODCAST] Where video streaming goes from here, watching major events, and Gen Z’s relationship with TV

Why consumers pivot toward private-label brands

[VIDEO] Forbes International Women’s Day Celebration: The Path To Progress

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: Ryan Reynolds Spoofs a British Airways Safety Video

In celebration of Aviation American Gin being served on British Airways flights, the brand is spoofing the airline’s safety spot starring Ryan Reynolds, The video, launched across social media, currently has more than 325,000 views so far on YouTube. It introduces Reynolds with the caption ‘twice played a pilot’ before he warns viewers that “spilling even one drop of the world’s highest-rated gin will result in you being duct-taped to your seat for the remainder of the flight.”

#FunFact

While gin may be the national spirit of England, the spirit originated in Holland, and that is why it is sometimes referred to as ‘Dutch courage’.

B2B Doesn’t Have to be Boring

B2B marketers need to fight the industry’s ‘boring’ stereotype with innovative content formats that deliver key information in engaging ways. Educating in an engaging manner, leveraging creative treatments, and delivering content via storytelling are some strategies that can be used.

Furthermore, a report from eMarketer found that 8 out of 10 executives agreed that most white papers are too time consuming and prefer more concise takeaways, summaries, charts and graphs to improve their consumption experience. This is a clear opportunity for marketers to find unique ways to engage with audiences beyond the more traditional formats.

Need help with your B2B content development? DM us.

#FunFact

B2B digital ad spend in the US is expected to hit $12.6 billion by the end of this year, a 46% increase from 2020. Source: eMarketer

Took a photo that you are proud of?

Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Navajo Upper Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest, on Navajo land east of Lechee, Arizona.

Three New Things in Advertisin

Following Apple’s launch of AppTrackingTransparency (ATT), consumer data collection has started to reshape digital advertising and is affecting models for monetizing apps for publishers and advertisers, budget allocations, and measurement strategies. Companies with strong first-party data resources will be significantly less impacted by ATT.

Streaming services focus on ad-supported tiers
Several major streaming services including subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) services, have either expressed interest in or have already launched ad-supported channels.

Companies weigh brand strategies in Ukraine and Russia
Companies including Airbnb, Uniqlo, Netflix, and Shell all continue to debate the pros and cons of operating in Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine prompted global rebuke that has made it a commercial outcast. Many brands are worried that consumers may punish brands that aren’t taking action.

Shoptalk 2022: Book a Meeting

Thousands of professionals attend Shoptalk each year. From established retailers and brands, startups, tech companies, to investors, real estate operators, media, and more they come to learn, collaborate and create the future of retail during four days of curated meetings, productive networking and facilitated social engagements.

Zenergy’s President Linda Farha will be onsite. Book a meeting, DM us!

#ClientNews: Frida Kahlo Coming to Montreal This Summer

Reach of 8M+ in 48 hours!

Zenergy’s PR team is pleased to have been selected to develop the press strategy for the premiere of ‘Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon‘ immersive exhibition making its Canadian debut in Montreal. With only 48 hours of media outreach, our PR team secured media coverage in English, French and Spanish reaching over 8 million people!

Sign up to be the first to know when tickets go on sale.

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry that You’d Like to Share?

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What We’re Reading

• Twitter tests Shops feature
• Desperate for Workers, Companies Try Help-Wanted Ads on TV
• How We More Than Doubled Traffic to the HubSpot Website Blog in 1 Year
• Covid-19 Has Pushed Americans Back To Grandma’s Kitchen, Where Meatloaf, Not Beyond Meat, Is On The Menu
• Radio Connects: Radio Facts in a Digital World: How to Deliver SCALE
• VIDEO: Entrepreneur Insights: Building The Next Billion-Dollar Brand

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: Squirrels Pose Like Tiny Superheroes

Agile, cunning, and smart, squirrels can make leaps and bounds with great ease. As many photos have captured, these nimble rodents look like they just made a landing akin to Captain America. In each pose, they have a determined look in their eye and one arm pulled back as if they are ready to fight in a giant battle against an adversary. And while this would certainly be legendary, the fact is that squirrels don’t land this way. The pictures are actually of them scratching their armpits (like you’d see a cat or dog do with their hind legs).

If you want a fascinating analysis of how the rodents move, former NASA engineer Mark Rober has created an informative and fun video that showcases an epic squirrel obstacle course and dissects the physics of their jumping.

#FunFact

83% of consumers said belonging to a loyalty program influences their decision to buy again from a brand. Source: Yotpo

Brand Voice: Three Steps to Success

The most memorable brands, from Apple to Geico, are ones that have a clear and consistent brand voice. When consumers see an ad from such a brand, they instantly recognize the company behind it as they have successfully created a unified brand identity. Here are three ways to develop your brand’s voice:

Define it.
A company’s mission and value statement are a good place to start when thinking about brand voice. Information about the target audience is also essential.

• Consider the generation you are targeting, and the ways they communicate.
• Review existing pieces of content that have resonated with audiences to see how the message was conveyed.
• Define what the voice is not – not too serious or not too flippant, for example.

Document it.
To ensure that the entire company is effectively communicating with the same brand voice, it’s critical to have a clear document that explains the brand voice – what it is and what it isn’t.

• Offer key characteristics of the voice, as well as examples of how those characteristics can play out in content.

Plan routine reviews of it.
Brand identity is not a one-and-done decision. Ensuring consistency requires constant monitoring and re-evaluation.

• Schedule annual reviews and reconsider brand voice during major brand overhauls.

Need help with a brand audit or brand refresh? DM us.

#FunFact

Consistent branding drives an average 23% uptick in revenue. Source: Semrush

Took a photo that you are proud of?

Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Rachael Rodgers is a photographer dedicated to finding dogs their forever home and she uses her instagram account, TrailsandBears, to feature these furry friends. In the US, there are approximately 4 million dogs and cats adopted from shelters each year.

66% of Brands Spent More on Creator-Driven Marketing

According to a new report from CreatorIQ and Tribe Dynamics, brands are increasingly shifting budgets to power creator-driven marketing campaigns, with 66% reporting they spent more in this area during2021 as compared to the previous year. Additionally, 52% noted that their relevant team has expanded to support this growing trend.

While Instagram and its Stories function remain the most popular social platforms for creator-driven campaigns, TikTok has forced marketers to rethink their approach for finding and engaging with consumers. About 96% of brands and 88% of influencers reported regularly using Instagram Stories. Comparable numbers are approximately half on TikTok, with reported regular usage of 46% and 42% respectively.

#ProInsight: Amid swelling budgets, emerging platforms like TikTok, and the proliferation of social commerce, brands and creators will continue to experiment and seek out best practices for the evolving influencer marketing landscape.

Adapting to a More Nuanced Social Landscape

The days of the one-size-fits all social media approach are seemingly over. The way people use these platforms is changing, pressuring brands to abandon broad campaigns and adopt the creation of content specific for each individual channel.

As the social media landscape becomes more competitive, it also becomes more nuanced. Competition for user attention and media dollars has led platforms to roll out more individualized product features for users and advertisers. And in the digital age, people are increasingly weary of being advertised to, meaning marketers have to fit their creative into each platform more seamlessly to reach their desired audience.

#ProInsight: Users are looking for ads to be an unintrusive part of their social media experience, and marketers need to be more mindful of how they appear on each platform.

Need help with your social media advertising strategy? DM us!

#TeamTips: B2B Media Planning

Part 3: Strategic Tactics

Missed out on the first two parts of the B2B Media Planning? Read the full blog here.

Following Phase 2, ‘Target Audience Overview’, our media planners are now ready can work on a tactical approach and evaluate B2B outlets. This that can include:

• Publications/Sites – Assess which make the most sense given the objectives, industry verticals, and job functions of the target audience.
• Lead Generation – Evaluate different sources of lead generation options based on the target industry.
• Content Syndication – Some verticals offer the opportunity to push out content to trade sources, which can establish thought leadership.
• Conferences and Webinars – Conferences and events can put your organization, and its messaging, directly in front of target audiences.
• Industry Associations – Associations often offer newsletters, memos and specialized publications that are sent to members.
• LinkedIn and Social Media – LinkedIn has become the hub of all B2B networking and is usually a staple for any B2B strategy. Outside of LinkedIn, other options like Twitter, Facebook and Reddit can have targeting options that may make sense depending on the industry.
• Programmatic Digital – Various first- and third-party data segments can be leveraged to target people during their daily online browsing.
• Lifestyle Targeting – Lifestyle targeting can be used if it matches the B2B audience. For example, we know truck drivers are on the road a lot, and often stop at service stations. We also know that someone who works in IT, tends to be tech-focused and early adopters. We can use insights like these to target audiences as consumers outside of the B2B realm.

Matan Ahlfeld is a Media Planning Strategist at Zenergy Communications

Need help with your social media advertising strategy? DM us!

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry that You’d Like to Share?

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Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

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What We’re Reading

• ‘More self-sufficient’: The changing (yet again) and increasingly challenging role of the CMO
• In advertising, the pandemic is (mostly) over
• [Infographic] TikTok Shares New Tips on How to Maximize Branded Content on the Platform
• 3 new things in social media AI: Reddit’s Discover, Meta’s innovations, and China’s regulations
• New mobile grocery vending machine to hit the streets

Need help with your social media advertising strategy? DM us!

#FGFStory: At 107, Montrealer and Zenergy Friend Mary Katz, Attributes Her Longevity to Positivity

Montrealer Mary Katz has had a simple mantra to get through life and she passes onto family and friends: “Yesterday was history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today is a gift.”
She has seen and heard it all, having lived through epidemics, wars, genocides, and all manner of human madness. “But I stay positive because I believe there are more good people than bad ones on this earth, and that goodness will prevail. So live for the day, and keep smiling.”
Katz doesn’t have many hard and fast rules on diet, although she favors salmon, chicken and vegetables. She also enjoys the occasional goblet of wine.

#FunFact: The oldest person alive in the world today is Japan’s Kane Tananka who is 119 years old. Source: CNN

#ProTips: Three Tips for Content Marketing

• Measure content performance. Understand what content is resonating and establish areas for improvement.
• Take advantage of content marketing technologies. From organizing processes, making collaboration easier to CRM systems and performance analysis, the early adoption of technology can make content development more efficient.
• Differentiate content. Deliver top content by reviewing that of competitors to ensure that you aren’t ending up in a ‘sea of sameness’ and that it adds value to your audience.

#FunFact

Programmatic direct advertising spending, which is mainly made up of social ads, will account for more than 75% of total digital display expenditures in Canada in 2022. Source: Insider Intelligence, eMarketer

Took a photo that you are proud of?

Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Zenergy celebrates the 3.946 billion women on the planet, not only on International Woman’s Day (March 8), but every day.

There is a lot more to B2B media planning than finding the most appropriate trade publication/site and targeting on LinkedIn. The first fallacy of this process typically happens when, perhaps subconsciously, we assume the only way to reach a B2B target audience is when they are at work or doing work.

The world has changed significantly over the last few years. Many magazines have ceased publication or significantly reduced frequency, in favor of online. With the COVID pandemic, more and more professionals are working remotely from home. This is unlikely to go back to where it was pre-pandemic. Leading industry events and conferences have also gone through a major overhaul and are now being watered-down by online events/conferences and webcasts.

So, what does this mean for B2B marketers? Well, there is both good and bad news that comes out of this. The bad news is that we can’t rely on old fashioned means of face-to-face networking, necessitating a much more strategic and disciplined approach to reaching your B2B target. The good news is that there is a lot more data available through measurement and tracking of new marketing efforts. With this comes more informed analysis and strategies.

The Brief

A detailed and accurate campaign brief can make the difference between a successful, disciplined B2B strategy, and one that is just a combination of unrelated tactics. The brief should contain all the information about what the advertiser wants to get out of the marketing campaign. This includes company vision, marketing objectives, media objectives, KPIs/sales goals, target audiences, customer insights, among other things. This should be a collaborative effort between all stakeholders, to ensure everyone is on the same track, and working towards the same goals.

Audience Targeting

• Are they the decision makers? If not, how influential are they to the decision-making process?
• How do they get information related to your product/service?
• What is their psychographic profile?

Strategic Tactics

Once the target audience has been defined, Zenergy’s media planners can start looking into a strategic tactical approach by evaluating various media outlets that can include:

• Trade Publications/Sites – Assess which make the most sense given the objectives, industry verticals, and job functions of the target audience.
• Lead Generation – Evaluate different sources of lead generation options based on the target industry.
• Content Syndication – Some verticals offer the opportunity to push out content to trade sources, which can establish thought leadership.
• Conferences and Webinars – Conferences and events can put your organization, and its messaging, directly in front of target audiences.
• Industry Associations – Associations often offer newsletters, memos and specialized publications that are sent to members.
• LinkedIn and Social Media – LinkedIn has become the hub of all B2B networking and is usually a staple for any B2B strategy. Outside of LinkedIn, other options like Twitter, Facebook and Reddit can have targeting options that may make sense depending on the industry.
• Programmatic Digital – Various first- and third-party data segments can be leveraged to target people during their daily online browsing.
• Lifestyle Targeting – Lifestyle targeting can be used if it matches the B2B audience. For example, we know truck drivers are on the road a lot, and often stop at service stations. We also know that someone who works in IT, tends to be tech-focused and early adopters. We can use insights like these to target audiences as consumers outside of the B2B realm.

 

Article written by:
Matan Ahlfeld
Media Planning Strategist
Zenergy Communications

How Brands Need to Adjust to Changing Cultural Trends

New behavioral patterns – driven by physical distancing and lockdowns- reshaped our collective psyche. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, we have the facility to reimagine our world.

Here are seven cultural trends that will shape the next decade:

• Return to traditions – Uncertainty has created a strong nostalgia for the good old days and a newfound desire to be rooted in tradition.
• Metaverse jurisdiction – The pandemic has changed our relationship with the physical world and it is now competing with the virtual world for resources.
• Creator inequality – The creator economy is mirroring the structural inequalities built into our existing economic system and brands, agencies and platforms need to find a way to support and remunerate emerging and overlooked creators.
• Divisions in diversity – Gen-Z is now the largest generation globally and the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in American history. Young consumers want to see products and services that are inclusively designed and they want to know what’s happening behind the camera and if the leadership team of global brands is reflective of society.
• Ethical investment – During the last decade, young people have been consuming based on values. Now they are investing based on values.
• Employee activism – Employee activism will become one of the defining features of the workplace in the next ten years. It can be defined as when employees speak up against their company on issues that impact workers, customers, the environment or society at large.
• Consumerism in crisis – The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our time. Despite all promises at COP26 and a host of brands declaring their sustainability pledges.

Facebook Rolls out Reels Globally

Facebook Reels has officially become available in more than 150 countries. The feature, which is a key component of Meta’s response to the TikTok threat, allows creators to share short-form video content on Facebook or cross-post Reels from Instagram in order to reach a broader audience. Alongside this global rollout, Facebook is also introducing more creative tools and new ways for creators to make money from their Reels through advertising, and soon, Stars.

Want to integrate Reels into your social media strategy? DM us!

#TeamTips: B2B Media Planning

Part 2: Audience Targeting

B2B marketers must know everything about their audience including:

• Are they the decision makers? If not, how influential are they to the decision-making process?
• How do they get information related to your product/service?
• What is their psychographic profile?

Building a Path

Advertisers must understand what consumers want and guide them to a purchase or lead them to provide contact information. This is achieved by building a seamless and secure online path and can include campaign-specific landing pages and resources or integrate seamless data collection technologies.

Matan Ahlfeld is a Media Planning Strategist at Zenergy Communications/

Next week Matan will provide insights into audience targeting.

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry that You’d Like to Share?

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Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

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What We’re Reading

#BeOurGuest
Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

DM us!

What We’re Reading

• Why does Google still have that “I’m Feeling Lucky” button?
• Nike moves away from Foot Locker in shift to DTC
• U.S. Consumer Spending Rose 2.1% in January and Inflation Accelerated Amid Omicron Wave
• The top 10 US food and drink apps in 2021
• Crypto payments and the metaverse: Getting past the hype to position payment incumbents for success
• Infographic: 5 trends for influencer marketing

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: The First Artwork Curated for the Moon

British artist Sacha Jafri has prepared the first ever painting to be placed on the Lunar service when it blasts off with NASA later this year. The painting, called We Rise Together With the Light of the Moon, is engraved into a specially-designed aluminum-gold plate to survive the massive temperature swings on the Moon.

The small black and white work depicts stick figures inside a heart, surrounded by other hearts and small messages. A second, colored work will be sold at a charity auction around the same time, and 5 NFTs (non-fungible tokens) will go up for auction online at each critical moment in the mission, from liftoff to separation to landing.

LinkedIn Previews New Post Analytics

LinkedIn’s looking to provide more insight into content performance via new post analytics tools, which showcases details about the members that are reading your LinkedIn updates, how many Reactions each has received, and more.

The new analytics will provide more specific insight into who exactly is reading your posts, filterable by job title, industry, location, and more. This can be a great way to ensure that your content is resonating with the people you want to reach.

Need help with your LinkedIn social media strategy? DM us.

Collaborating for Content

How do you get all departments (marketing, sales, customer support, etc.) to work together to give audience members, prospects, buyers, and customers the content they want?

Here are some suggestions:

• Reflect and collaborate with all departments.
• Work transparently.
• Understand multiple roles, but don’t take on everything yourself.
• Create a shared vision.
• Unite on the goals.
• Develop familiarity and knowledge with all stakeholders.
• Invite other departments into your content creation.
• Keep an eye on customer satisfaction.

Took a photo that you are proud of?

Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Licancabur is a stratovolcano on the border between Bolivia and Chile that stands nearly 20,000 feet tall.

Leverage QR Codes to Connect with Customers

The pandemic made QR codes more essential and ever-present. They have become an attractive tool for marketers, thanks to their ease of use and higher adoption rates.

• It’s projected that 83.4 million US adult smartphone users (37.5%) will scan a QR code this year and 42.6% by 2025.

#ProTip: Marketing and advertising strategists should focus on creating QR codes that enable more innovative, enjoyable, and useful customer interactions. This can be achieved through gamification (including games to obtain discounts), access to promotions and deals, and information about product origin history and traceability, capabilities, or reviews.

Here are some easy ways to integrate QR codes:

• Adding a QR code to business cards, product packaging, brochures, print advertising, and direct mail can create additional marketing touchpoints.
• QR codes on packages or labels can give consumers more product information.
• In-store QR codes on purchase receipts, price tags, shelves, buildings, and even staff can wear them to enhance the shopping experience.

Need help developing a strategy that includes the use of a QR code? DM us!

TikTok Made Me Buy it

The #tiktokmademebuyit hashtag has 8.8 billion views on TikTok to date.

Here’s a quick break down of the viral hashtag:

• According to research firm Luth, 83% of TikTok users report going to the platform for product reviews, and 67% said they were inspired by the community to shop even when they weren’t looking to do so.
• 52% of TikTok users worldwide said they search for products or shop on the platform. Even more interesting, 60%, said they follow brands on TikTok, and 68% said they find advertising content specifically to be unique or different from any competitive platform.
• This year, 45.7% of US marketers from companies with 100 or more employees will use TikTok for influencer marketing.
• Beauty products that went viral on TikTok saw an average of 85.3% sales growth month-over-month on Amazon, per Similarweb.
• Last holiday season, TikTok released the ‘TikTok made me buy it’ gift guide, featuring an assortment of products that went viral on the platform during the year. Products spanned beauty, home, tech, food, and apparel categories.

Want to integrate TikTok into your social media strategy? DM us!

#TeamTips: B2B Media Planning

Part 1: The Brief

There is a lot more to B2B media planning than finding the most appropriate trade publication/site and targeting on LinkedIn. The first fallacy of this process typically happens when, perhaps subconsciously, we assume the only way to reach a B2B target audience is when they are at work or doing work.

The world has changed significantly over the last few years. Many magazines have ceased publication or significantly reduced frequency, in favor of online. With the COVID pandemic, more and more professionals are working remotely from home. This is unlikely to go back to where it was pre-pandemic. Leading industry events and conferences have also gone through a major overhaul and are now being watered-down by online events/conferences and webcasts.

So, what does this mean for B2B marketers? Well, there is both good and bad news that comes out of this. The bad news is that we can’t rely on old fashioned means of face-to-face networking, necessitating a much more strategic and disciplined approach to reaching your B2B target. The good news is that there is a lot more data available through measurement and tracking of new marketing efforts. With this comes more informed analysis and strategies.

The Brief

A detailed and accurate campaign brief can make the difference between a successful, disciplined B2B strategy, and one that is just a combination of unrelated tactics. The brief should contain all the information about what the advertiser wants to get out of the marketing campaign. This includes company vision, marketing objectives, media objectives, KPIs/sales goals, target audiences, customer insights, among other things. This should be a collaborative effort between all stakeholders, to ensure everyone is on the same track, and working towards the same goals.

Matan Ahlfeld is a Media Planning Strategist at Zenergy Communications/

Next week Matan will provide insights into audience targeting.

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry that You’d Like to Share?

#BeOurGuest
Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

DM us!

What We’re Reading

• 3 technologies that will shape the future of the metaverse – and the human experience
• How to Create Instagram Reels Like a Pro: A Guide for Marketers
• Hasbro and Mattel have very different visions for the future of the toy industry
• 4 investment opportunities for a net-zero future
• Spotlight on total global retail: Brick-and-mortar returns with a vengeance

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: India’s Mass Tree Planting Success: Forest Grows by Half-Million Acres

A report from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) found that recent tree planting activities have taken root in terms of the overall forest coverage in the nation. The country’s forests have grown by 870 square miles of forest, more than half a million acres, over the last three years.

Over the past few years, there have been some monumental tree planting efforts undertaken, by Indians. In 2016, Indians planted 50 million trees in a single day in the state of Uttar Pradesh. And one year later, volunteers in Madhya Pradesh planted 66 million trees, a world record.

#FunFacts: Content Marketing

Content marketing continues to be the heart of digital marketing. Here are some relevant stats to boost your knowledge!

• There are over 500 million blogs on the Internet and 50,000 people search how to start a blog every month on Google.
• According to 65% of marketers, SEO is the most effective tactic to drive more traffic.
• Blogs are among the top three forms of media used in content strategies, and 69.6% businesses actively invest in content marketing.
• The top three content mediums for most B2B marketers are email newsletter, blogs, and social media content.
• 75% of people, who incorporate visuals in content, drive better ROI.
• The majority of B2B content marketers have increased their use of audio/visual content as compared to one year ago.
• Videos are becoming a more popular form of media within content strategy compared to blogs and infographics. The most common videos being created are promotional and brand storytelling.
• Most marketers are creating content for multiple audience segments, three on average.
• Marketers report that the most challenging part of content marketing is generating quality leads.
• Successful blogs are a blend of four content types: guides, How-Tos, Q&As, and lists.

Need help with your content marketing strategy? DM us.

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork: Meet Shehla Shahid

The Zenergy team is a dedicated force of talent, with a passionate desire to serve. We’d like you to meet our team members. Today we introduce you to Shehla Shahid, our Art Director.

Shehla is a design specialist with 16-year experience in providing imaginative and creative communication and design solutions for businesses, companies, brands, and individuals. She has worked internationally in the advertising world for McCann Erickson and Dentsu, before moving to Canada and joining Zenergy Communications. She has helped shape the communication of quite a few multinational brands like Mondelez, Nokia, Suzuki and Shell with her creative and innovative design skills.

As Art Director at Zenergy Communications, Shehla is responsible for the execution of concept plans for all our clients, visualizing hard-hitting ideas, and designing creative and innovative layouts for all communication materials in print and digital.

Some #FunFacts about Shehla

• She has two beautiful Labrador babies – Betsie and Sheroo
• Her favorite pastime is cooking – the best way to release stress
• She dreams of traveling a lot one day, exploring new cultures, traditions, and food
• She was a voice-over artist (IVR) for a big telecom company

Took a photo that you are proud of?

Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Liezen, Austria hosts the ‘Internationaler Wettbewerb für Violincello’ a music competition attracting top performing artists from all over the world.

How to Create Content for Retention

When developing content for retention, it is imperative to customize content accordingly. Here are three ways:

• Use storytelling: Customer-focused stories and case studies get the highest engagement.
• Publish quality content consistently: Creating a blog is crucial as it helps you rank higher on search engines, enables you to build trust with your ideal customers, and provides a platform for a unique voice for your brand.
• Continue to educate your audience: Have a separate section for research studies and articles. Try different platforms like podcasts, vlogs, whitepapers, and guides.

Need help developing content? DM us!

The Top Social Networks for B2B

Although LinkedIn is the most used social network by B2B firms, according to recent research from Sagefrog, Twitter delivers the most engagement. The report was based on data from a survey of marketers who work for B2B firms across a range of industries including technology, healthcare, industrial, and business services.

Here are some of the reports top B2B marketer insights:

• Twitter delivers the highest B2B engagement, on average, for posts/content, followed by LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Social media is now their second-biggest source of leads, after referrals.
• 41% say they plan to invest more in social media marketing in 2022.

Need help with your B2B social media strategy? DM us!

#BeOurGuest: Livestream Marketing

Livestream selling has taken China by storm, generating $60 billion in annual revenues last year. The US market is poised to follow suit with livestream selling now available on major social platforms like Facebook and Instagram but the technology can go beyond direct selling to include livestream events, learning and more, especially with the introduction of new disrupters in the space, most notably, MARKET.

MARKET is a new livestream destination that offers the perfect combination of technology, entertainment, and selling. Created by VERB (Nasdaq: VERB), a leader in the livestream space, MARKET has elevated the livestream genre in a feature-rich site, including:

• Easy-to-use TV quality platform
• Live, in-show shoppable links
• Multiple camera and host capabilities from anywhere in the world
• Record and replay videos across all your platforms
• One cart purchase from multiple vendors
• Robust data and analytics
• Sales performance tracking

Livestream bridges the gap between physical and digital sales, training and events. It allows vendors to create real relationships with real people, in real time, using the power of demonstration and interaction. Designed for mega brands and small businesses alike, MARKET paves the way for new branding and selling opportunities that are destined to become the next big opportunity!

This edition’s #BeOurGuest is

Angel Cicerone
President
Tenant Mentorship

Learn more about livestreaming. DM us!

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#BeOurGuest

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What We’re Reading

• ‘Health and wellness culture has evolved’: How cereal brand Kashi modernized its marketing to stay relevant
• News outlets ride TikTok engagement wave
• Twitter Shares New Insights into What Users Want to See from Brands via Tweet [Infographic]
• Inside Folgers’ plan to swap its fusty reputation for punk-rock rebelliousness
• Truly cracks open love with contest to encourage Valentine’s Day first dates

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us!

#FGFStory: SIGNify: Virtual Sign Language Translation

Project SIGNify is a web plugin that uses motion recognition technology to accurately identify and translate sign language in video calls. Once identified, the signs are translated into the recipient’s chosen language and displayed as subtitles.

SIGNify highlights the potential of technology in the corporate world for a diverse workforce. Conversations about inclusive workspaces, in the last few years, have been centralized around physical places and this project highlights how there’s still much work to be done (and opportunities to be had) in the world of remote work.

Instagram: No Longer Just a Photo-Sharing App

Near the end of last year Instagram announced that its 2022 plans were to focus primarily on growing Reels, ultimately consolidating video content around short-form formats.

Here are some tips to take advantage of Instagram’s shift:

• Focus on short-form video
• Find the ideal video length (now available up to 60 seconds but predictions are that this will increase to 3 minutes to challenge TikTok)
• Identify and address limitations in your strategy
• Make time to jump on brand-appropriate trends
• Perfect your text overlays
• Embrace remixes
• Increase reach by sharing to Instagram Stories
• Expand audiences with collaborators
• Use Reels visual replies
• Drive revenue with shoppable Reels
• Make memorable Reels content
• Know when to publish
• Create exclusive content
• Optimize ads for Reels

#ProTip: Optimizing short-form video content, maximizing collaborations, and being prepared to experiment with new Reels features will better position you to increase visibility and grow your brand on Instagram.

Need help with your short-form video content? DM us!

Personalization Strategy: Five Content Types

Marketing personalization means more than just addressing a customer by name in an email or signaling that they’ve browsed a particular item on a website by showing it to them again in a digital ad somewhere else on the internet.

Here are five types of helpful content to include in your marketing personalization content strategy:

• Recommend
• Teach
• Support
• Confidence-Build
• Reward

Let our content development team help you with your copywriting needs. DM us!

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The first ski jumping competition took place in 1872 in Norway. The world record for farthest ski jump is currently held by Austria’s Stefan Kraft, whose 831 ft. jump at the 2017 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup currently sits as the longest in history.

Media Training + Refresh

Traditional media outlets, 24-hour news sites, Twitter, and a plethora of other social networks all competing for viewer attention. It’s therefore more crucial than ever to know what to communicate and how to do so in order to garner media attention and yield the best results.

That’s where media preparedness and training comes in to help you:

• Understand journalists’ expectations
• Learn how to stay on message, even under pressure
• Know the differences in preparation and delivery between various media formats including print, radio, TV, and online.
• Learn the difference between proactive vs. reactive responses
• Gain insights into what to expect in expert interviews
• Managing and leading Q&A sessions

Need a media how-to refresh or full training for your company’s spokes people? DM us!

Acts of Kindness: Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17!

Here are five stories of kindness that you may have missed:

• Cinémas Guzzo has pledged discounted pricing everyday for healthcare workers as theaters re-open across Quebec on February 8.
• Valley Smokehouse restaurant in Petawawa, ON started collecting donations and pledged a portion of sales from February to help send a local family to Boston for cancer treatment for their nine-year old son.
• Ogilvie Pizza in Ottawa, ON was called by a loyal customer suffering from COVID-19 asking if someone could deliver a can of ginger ale while she was in isolation. The owner delivered not only the drink but a bag full of medicine and called in daily to check up on her.
• A surprise birthday party was hosted for a Second World War veteran Ernest Allen, now 100 years old, whereby he received over 100 birthday cards from Stittsville, ON local residents and veterans from across Canada.
• Strangers are buying each other groceries across the US, most recently a woman in Texas bought $300 worth of groceries at Dollar Tree as a surprise for a neighbor.

Share your stories with us for our next feature. DM us!

#TeamTips: Connected TV

As screen time has continued to increase one of the most prominent opportunities that has emerged is the ability to maximize the benefits of advertising efforts and reach larger audiences. While there are many tactics to increase viewership there is one leading the pack: Connected TV advertising or CTV.

CTV delivers opportunities for brands and businesses regarding alternative yet effective advertising. Television ads have always been a successful form of advertising, yet CTV takes this to an elevated level as it takes a shorter yet more immersive approach with proven effectiveness. Available in a variety of forms, these advertisements suit the needs of any advertising pursuit.

• There are in-stream video ads that are unskippable and run for 15 to 30 seconds before (pre-roll) or during (mid-roll) the program.
• There are also interactive pre-roll ads which run at the beginning of an online video for those looking to have their ads lead viewers to a landing page.
• For those seeking to have their ad displayed in a more central location, there are home screen placement ads that are typically a short video or image that feature a call-to-action.

“Instead of advertising during an event with the hope of reaching a projected demographic, CTV lets marketers target specific households as precise as by postal/zip code and IP level, so budgets are effectively directed.”

Ed Weiss
Senior Consultant, Media Buy
Zenergy Communications

Learn more about CTV advertising opportunities. DM us!

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry That You’d Like to Share?

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Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

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What We’re Reading

• 18 Major Retailers Celebrating Black History Month
• Spotlight on total global retail: Brick-and-mortar returns with a vengeance
• Here’s How To Encourage High Team Morale During A Slow Business Season
• [Podcast] eMarketer’s Behind the Numbers daily podcast
• Collabs and creative pairings open up new doors
• What Is The Future Of Air Travel?

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us!

#FGFStory: Dog ‘Wins’ Internet ‘Drop Challenge’ With Viral Dancing Video

Videos have been flooding the internet of people completing the “Drop Challenge” on TikTok, but one dog has seemingly blown the competition away with its version.

The “Drop Challenge” sees people going about their normal daily activities to the tune of “Yoncé” by Beyoncé— at work, in the home, out shopping and more—only to suddenly squat down while staring at the camera. Often, those around them are left shocked at the move.

Watch Huston’s video

Five B2B Social Media Trends to Watch in 2022

While social media has been around for some time, the changes since March 2020 have been phenomenal. Social media isn’t just pictures for cat videos. While that type of content is uploaded by the thousands every minute, the opportunities to leverage them for B2B engagement will continue to grow.

Here are a few trends to set your sights on this year:

• Brief, bite-sized video content has proven effective for message and delivery by providing engaging, digestible pieces of content that could be cross-posted across social channels. Remember that you can repackaged in short-form pieces into short video content.
• Storytelling has the greatest impact on engagement, and there’s no better platform for stories than on social media. Even B2B users follow concepts, causes and content that connect them to their desires and goals. Make relatable videos and content that perpetuates the identity and story of the individual in the industry you’re trying to reach.
• If you get good organic reach or engagement on any video, reel or post – boost it! This will extend your reach to even more people, especially new ones.
• Embrace the “smaller” platforms such as Pinterest, LinkedIn and TikTok.
• Create and maintain your B2B social community, which can help strengthen your connection and your impact.

Need help with your B2B social media strategy? DM us!

B2B Explainer Videos

B2B companies are flocking towards explainer videos to get other businesses to buy and use their product or services. B2B businesses will always need video marketing to break down what they do and how they differ from anything else on the market. What’s more, explainer videos aren’t just for lead generation; B2B companies can use them throughout the customer lifecycle.

Here are five ways to use explainer videos:

• Sales Pitches
• Customer Onboarding
• Email Marketing
• Virtual Events and Tradeshows
• Advertising

#FunFact: Videos encourage buyers to make a decision: a full 85% are more likely to purchase something after seeing an explainer video about it. (Source: Yans)

Let our creative team help you with your video needs. DM us!

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The Pale di San Martino mountain group belongs to the Paneveggio – Pale di San Martino Nature Park and is the most southern mountain range of the Dolomites.

Three Things to Know About the Metaverse

The “new” world: A metaverse primer: Companies should see the metaverse as the evolution of the internet or smartphones, but instead of interacting with keyboards or touchscreens, users are immersed in interactive environments, making them captive and active participants in cyberspace.

What the metaverse means for retail today, and what’s in store for tomorrow: While the promise of the metaverse for retail holds great appeal (shopping experiences integrated seamlessly throughout immersive digital worlds), the development of the technology to support it is still in the very early stages.

At the National Retail Federation’s Big Show, all eyes were on the metaverse: Retailers are getting excited about the metaverse, seeing it as an opportunity to deepen customer relationships.

#ProQuote

“85% of consumers feel that for brands to be successful in the future, digital presences will be essential.”

Emma Chiu, Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence

Enterprising Leaders Sharing their Journey to Success

Need to light a fire under your team? Let us inspire them with guest speakers (in-person and virtual) that will help you realign, reset, and refocus.

Topics can include:

• Integration strategies.
• Sales realignment.
• Insights for entrepreneurs who face business uncertainties.
• Media training and refreshes (i.e. Zoom interview tips).
• How to identify opportunities, emerging trends and develop creative solutions.

DM us!

Have an Interesting Perspective on Your Industry That You’d Like to Share?

#BeOurGuest
Showcase your ideas and discuss what’s on your mind by being a guest columnist in our #FGF newsletter! With a reach of 20,000 weekly readers and an average open rate of 20%, you’ll get the attention of industry leaders directly.

DM us!

What We’re Reading

• Why Brand Storytelling is Crucial for Your Business
• Dreamvertising could be the next big thing
• 4 ways to build career-advancing connections in a hybrid era
• 9 trends that will steer marketing in 2022
• How you can become more resilient this year

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: Turning Non-Recyclable Plastic into Building Blocks

An LA-based startup is proving that we don’t need more landfills for non-recyclable plastics, rather they can be turned into building blocks. ByFusion’s patented machines, known as Blockers, shred plastic and then apply mass multiplied by acceleration repeatedly until it fuses. Called “ByBlocks,” they are a simple 16″ x 8″ x 8″ blocks that can be used to build bus stops, fences, retaining walls, curtain walls, public terraces, and more.

Watch a durability comparison between the ByBlocks and classic, hollow cement blocks.

Four Principles to Managing a Crisis

The more you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your business, the more you can maintain control when a crisis hits. Here are four managing principles to consider during a crisis:

• Focus on what you can control.
• Create your own trajectory.
• Be in constant communication.
• Instill pride in your mission.

#ProTip: Clear and constant communication with stakeholders is the hallmark of great leadership.

Need help with a crisis management plan? DM us.

#GraphicDesign

10 Ways Infographics Benefit Your Content Strategy

Are you using infographics as part of your content strategy? You may be missing out on valuable digital marketing opportunities if not. Infographics are an aesthetically pleasing way to summarize data and share information in a more compelling, engaging way with content consumers.

Here are 10 reasons why you should be using infographics:

• Improve decision-making as visuals have been proven to speed up the rate at which information is processed.
• Increase your content’s exposure.
• Enhance content shareability.
• Build brand credibility. Creating interesting and informative graphics can help people learn more about your business and be seen as a voice of authority.
• Complement your branding strategy. When done right, your target audience will be able to discern your brand’s infographics from others.
• Build high-quality backlinks enabling higher organic rankings in search engines.
• Drive more traffic to your site, improving your ROI, and increasing conversion rates.
• Tell a story by using visual aids such as charts, graphs, or diagrams to communicate complex concepts.
• Track results as long as the proper codes are put in place.
• Helps readers easily digest text-heavy content through understand for visual depiction.

Let our creative team help you design an infographic, DM us.

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Monte Rosa is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, between Italy and Switzerland. It is the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe, after Mont Blanc.

#CES2022 Ad Buys on Cars?

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place earlier this month and the most attention-grabbing news was the ‘color-changing car’. BMW unveiled its E Ink-powered iX Flow tech that allows the exterior of the car to shift through shades of black and white. BMW said: “The innovative E Ink technology opens completely new ways of changing the vehicle’s appearance in line with the driver’s aesthetic preferences, the environmental conditions or even functional requirements. The technology thus offers unprecedented potential for personalisation in the area of exterior design.”

Check out a video of the car.

#ProInsight: While it’s early days for this sort of tech on vehicles it’s a sure bet that it will eventually be used to sell advertising space on the sides of vans, cars, and trucks.

#FunFact: The Metaverse Movement

Consumers are embracing immersive, 3D digital services, and 37% took part in online video gaming at least once per week last year, vs. 29% in 2015. #ProInsight: Innovative brands must invest in their AR/VR capabilities. For example, brands can host virtual events to meet consumers in-platform.

Source: Euromonitor International, Top 10 Global Consumer Trends.

Zenergy Communications together with Radio Connects

Radio Facts in a Digital World: How to Deliver SCALE

eMarketer recently released a report which portrayed an inaccurate picture of Radio with the headline “Canadians spent more time listening to digital audio than radio for the first time in 2021.” It’s statements like this, supported by data claims without context, that perpetuate misinformation and influences where clients are spending their audio dollars.

Here are the facts: Digital audio is largely non-commercial private music libraries, regardless of how they are curated – either by outright ownership or subscription. This is not new. Personal music has been around since Eldridge Johnson introduced the Victrola in 1906 and by 1921 Americans were buying over 106 million records every year. Today, time spent with personal music is now being measured by streams and included in the audio universe because Canadians are choosing to ‘rent’ vs. own their music libraries. Listening to personal music is not new, technology has changed how we do it.

The problem with the conclusion being drawn by eMarketer’s report is that it serves as confirmation bias for those in media who, as Collin Kinsella of Havas US so succinctly indicated: “The biggest risk for AM/FM radio is the 26-year-old [media] planner who lives in New York or Chicago and does not commute by car and does not listen to AM/FM radio and thus does not think anyone does either.”

Unfortunately, many working in media may not have enough background in audio to understand the facts behind the headline and will think digital audio is where they should spend their client’s dollars. The facts are, according to Numeris and other third party research, Over-The-Air (OTA) Radio (including broadcast signals delivered via a digital device) has the largest share of audio consumption in an expanding audio landscape that includes satellite radio, podcasts, ad-supported digital pureplays (i.e. Spotify and YouTube for Music), and audio books1. Across all key advertising demos, AM/FM Radio reaches more consumers than YouTube for Music or ad supported Spotify, and has the largest share of buyable audio impressions. In fact, AM/FM Radio reached over six times more adults aged 25-54 in the past seven days than ad supported Spotify. AM/FM Radio delivered more individual exposures captured “in front of the screen” vs. reports of device usage captured “behind the screen” detailing data collection based on devices connected to servers, and doesn’t always represent exposure to real listeners.

And while the audio landscape continues to expand, it’s important to understand that only AM/FM Radio can deliver the scale advertisers need to reach and influence their consumers, whether they are listening in the car, on a smart speaker, or a mobile phone app. It shouldn’t be an ‘either, or’ audio strategy between AM/FM Radio and digital audio players, but an additive one, built on a solid foundation of AM/FM Radio with digital audio like podcasts, layered for added benefit.

Read the Adnation study conducted by Ipsos.

This week’s #BeOurGuest is: Caroline Gianias, President of Radio Connects

Have an interesting perspective on your industry that you’d like to share?

DM us.

#Results: Crypto Acceptance

Following data stating that 24% of US adults said that they were planning to invest in cryptocurrencies we asked our #FGF readers if they have or planned to add cryptos to their portfolio this year. The results are in and our readers are on the fence with 53% saying No and 47% responding Yes.

What We’re Reading

• Influencer marketing sees steady adoption and room for growth
• Pandemic Hankering: How Consumers Have Changed their Desires and Behaviors
• M&M’s Unveils Changes to Candy Mascots
• Anheuser-Busch updates logo to match forward-looking brand purpose
• High School Athletes Shovel Snow For Their Neighbors as Special Weightlifting Assignment for Football Team
• Facebook Meta patents would fill the metaverse with ads
• Looking ahead: 9 trends that will steer marketing in 2022

Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.

#FGFStory: Watch the Path of a Raindrop From Anywhere in the World

A new study suggests dog’s brains can tell languages apart

Have you ever wondered how far raindrops travel after they fall upon the heights of Kilimanjaro? Now you can follow a raindrop thanks to some curious cartographers who have created a mapping tool (in beta version) that visualizes their path to the sea from anywhere on Earth.

River Runner Global is a free, open-source tool for visualizing how interconnected we are, and can be used for rough-draft water management planning, or for educational purposes.

#FunFact: All the water that feeds Washington D.C. comes from rainfall and upwelling springs on the western-side of the Appalachians.

Working With B2B Influencers

The recent study entitled ‘The Trust Barometer’ recently found that 63% of people trust influencer insights more than what an organization says about itself. Given this, B2B marketers are quickly catching on to the value of influencers. If you are considering engaging influencers, here are five key strategic factors to assess whether an influencer is a good fit.

• Influencer prowess is more than a number. B2B influencers are not simply about how many followers they have but rather you should focus on the quality of their content.
• Consider the long-term relationship. You get more bang for your buck when you develop long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with your influencers.
• Monitor and engage on a human level. Monitor influencers who serve your industry and topic clusters to find content that’s a match. Then engage them via your brand’s or an executive’s social media account to reference their work and pursue the relationship over time.
• Think micro, not macro. Pursue micro influencers who specialize in a particular topic area or who model your target audience but have smaller followings.
• Measure results. There are a number of different ways to measure the success of a B2B influencer, depending on your particular marketing goals so make sure to define your metrics for success.

Twelve Design Trends to Watch in 2022

Adobe Stock has revealed its latest trends forecast and there are a few surprises. This past year has been quite the rollercoaster, but graphic design has kept on moving with original and innovative designs being created every day. See all the trends in this video.

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Send it along and our team will select amongst those submitted to be featured in our next FGF.

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America at about 1,644 feet deep. To put that into perspective, you could submerge the Empire State Building in it.