Category: Uncategorized

#ClientNews: Four Weeks: 64M+ Reach

Check out more of our recent client news on our new website.

#ProInsights: Linear TV, Online Video + Connected TV…What’s in it for Marketers?

Click here to download our ‘cheat sheet’ on each format and learn how they compare to CTV.

#Poll: What are you most excited for this year?

Take the poll 

20 Years of Ideas in Action!

This year marks 20 years of Ideas in Action for Zenergy Communications, and it’s been an incredible journey! From our humble beginnings in Montreal in 2003, we now have a presence in Toronto, Vancouver, and New York, plus an extended reach across Europe!

What We’re Reading

How many people can Earth handle? 

23 Trends to know for 2023 

In Extremis by Sylvain Turner 

Where marketers should invest during a recession 

9 retail trends to watch in 2023

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

#SponsoredContent: Bringing Your Brand to Life

Evolving Role of the CMO

The responsibilities of today’s CMOs are growing faster than ever. To succeed, they must closely align their marketing initiatives to business goals and drive measurable results.

Here are three key initiatives defined by eMarketer to help CMOs succeed:

• Connecting the marketing strategy to the business one
• Adopting a leadership style that matches the organizational strategy
• Seeking roles in which the CMO’s core strengths align with the needs of the specific opportunity.

Read the full article and learn about the five CMO archetypes identified by eMarketer.

Influencers Can Help Engage Diverse Audiences

Leaders from YouTube and Google spoke during a panel at NewFronts about how marketers can best connect with diverse audiences through influencers.

Advice included:

• Give influencers creative freedom
• Build long-term, meaningful relationships with influencers to stay ahead of trends
• Use different performance indicators for multicultural campaigns

Need help with Influencer Relations? DM us!

#FGFStory: Multitasking Prehistoric Moms

A new book, and accompanying documentary, recounts fascinating and recently-collected evidence on the broad spectrum of work that Paleolithic women did. Entitled Lady Sapiens: the Woman in Prehistory focuses on a period called the Upper Paleolithic and examines etchings and archeological findings from Peru, Germany, the US, and Italy.

Lead author Jennifer Kerner shows that Paleolithic women were not just foraging and caring for children but also hunting, building shelters and traps‚ and making art.

We salute our multitasking mothers of today and yesteryear!

Need to Fill a MARCOM Position?

Short-staffed and looking to fill key MARCOM and MARTECH positions within your company? Not to worry! Let Zenergy’s team fill in the stop-gaps for you while you take the steps necessary to find the ideal candidate(s), saving both time and money in the long-term. DM us!

#FunFact

There are roughly 82.5 million mothers in the US, more than 2 billion worldwide and approximately 4.3 babies are born every second. Source: habausa.com

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!

Four Tips for Marketing to Content Creators

A decade ago, it was easy to consider the creator economy as kids on YouTube. Now independent creators across the globe are continually transforming the fabric of our digital lives. Major brands are tapping influencers and YouTubers to promote their products and provide insights into marketing campaigns. Marketing to content creators requires a very focused vision and strategy, here are some tips:

• Be authentic by being straightforward.
• Go all-in on video.
• Influencer marketing is your friend.
• Keep up with best practices for each platform.

There’s no silver bullet when it comes to marketing to independent creators, but it starts with your own content and with familiarity with the platforms they’re consuming and creating content on.

Need help with content creation? DM us!

What We’re Reading

• How marketers lure customers with sustainability—and how that strategy can backfire
• Brands should force Twitter to uphold content policies under Musk, advocacy groups say
• 41% of consumers want to shop in virtual worlds
• What’s new in the Twitterverse?
• How Coke and Pepsi’s rivalry shaped marketing — and where it goes next

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

“You’re something between a dream and a miracle.”
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning

The Importance of Brand Consistency

Brand consistency can help businesses differentiate themselves from the competition, become more memorable and desirable among consumers, and spark growth through authenticity and trust. Although 95% of brands have some form of content guidelines, only 25% regularly enforce them (source: Shutterstock).

A brand consistency checklist can help reflect on your content’s purpose and message. Here are the elements you should examine for variability:

• Message
• Target audience
• Voice
• Terminology
• Punctuation writing style

Brand consistency means making sure your words, design, perspective, and offerings all relate to the way you want to express your brand.

Need help maintaining brand consistency? DM us!

#FunFact

LinkedIn Pages that post weekly have 6x more followers and their following grows 5x faster than Pages that post monthly. Source: LinkedIn

#FGFStory: Parodies of Billy Joel, Vanilla Ice and More to Teach Math

Middle-school math teacher Simon Macfarlane of Oklahoma creates parodies of well-known songs to help students remember math facts, such as rewording Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time” into “C’s the Longest Side – the Pythagorean Theorem song”. Macfarlane plays as many as 11 different characters in the YouTube videos, including one called “Nice Nice Functions” that explains slope, rise, y-intercept and others, based on Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”.

Need to Fill a MARCOM Position?

Short-staffed and looking to fill key MARCOM and MARTECH positions within your company? Not to worry! Let Zenergy’s team fill in the stop-gaps for you while you take the steps necessary to find the ideal candidate(s), saving both time and money in the long-term. 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!

Interactive Ad Engagement Reaches 21%

Nearly 21% of US and Canadian TV viewers report having used their phone to scan a QR code in a show or ad, and the same percentage report having tapped on an interactive ad on their smartphone or tablet. Source: TiVo

What We’re Reading

• Rise of the inclusive, sustainable consumers
• Musk’s Purchase of Twitter Stirs PR Concerns
• Industry Voices: CMOs Look Ahead with Kellogg Company’s Charisse Hughes
• The HubSpot Blog’s Instagram Shopping Report
• 30 years, 40 months, and 5 archetypes. What has come and is yet to become of the CMO.

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

B2B Buyers Rank Video Content Types

According to a study by Brightcove and Ascend2, B2B buyers say that the most helpful types of videos when making purchasing decisions are those that educate them on products or services, help them solve or understand problems, and show them what other customers say about services or products. The top types of videos watched by B2B buyers in the last three months are product reviews and demonstrations, tutorials, and live videos.

Holland is the largest producer of tulips worldwide, exporting about three billion bulbs per year.

Instagram Adjusts Algorithm to Promote Originality

Instagram is prioritizing original creations in its content ranking algorithm by using classifiers and monitoring if a video has previously appeared on the platform. The goal is to de-emphasize aggregator accounts and make sure that credit is going to those who deserve it.

There are three main changes:

• Product tags are now available to everyone.
• Enhanced tagging by category (like photographer, designer, etc.) which will show up every time a post is tagged.
• Instagram is going to start promoting original content on the platform more heavily.

#ProInsight: Instagram wants users to stop reposting TikToks to Reels 🙂

Meta has made it clear that it sees Facebook and Instagram as creator-focused platforms going forward, rather than as tools for people to connect with their friends. As a result, they have invested in shopping tools, ways for creators to build audiences, and more in the hopes they will entice creators to stop being TikTokers and YouTubers and start being Instagrammers and Facebookers.

Earth Day #FunFact

Around 1 billion people take part in Earth Day activities around the world every year. Source: earthday.org

#FGFStory: What Your Candy Preferences Say About Your Personality

Do you like sour candy more than other flavors? It’s likely you might be an extrovert. That’s just one takeaway from a new survey conducted with 2,000 adult candy lovers by OnePoll on behalf of Jelly Belly. A person’s preference for certain sweets may speak volumes about their personality or lifestyle choices.

Here are some of key findings:

• In addition to being extroverts (59%), most sour candy connoisseurs also identified themselves as ‘eccentric’, ‘funny’, and ‘sarcastic’.
• Chocolate lovers overwhelmingly described themselves as ‘optimistic’ (76%) and ‘shy’ (67%).
• Fans of mint, by a majority of 78%, said they were ‘thoughtful’.

The poll also asked the respondents to pick their all-time favorite jellybean flavor and found additional fun personality traits.

• Sour lemon jellybean fanatics mirrored their stark taste preferences in their personality, with 69% identifying as ‘honest’.
• The age factor showed up when it was revealed that 20% of Baby Boomers reported that licorice was their favorite, compared to just 6% of Gen Z.
• Pear, cherry and buttered popcorn jellybean lovers consider themselves ‘eccentric’.

#FunFact: Jelly Belly provided the Reagan White House with their jellybeans for all eight years of Reagan’s presidency. Read more here.

What Growth Headwinds do CMOs Anticipate?

For CMOs in the US, the biggest potential challenge to growth this year will be talent and labor issues, cited by 42.6% of those executives. The next biggest headwinds they anticipate are supply chain issues (29.6%) and inflation (24.5%). Two years into the pandemic, just 5.8% expect new coronavirus measures to hinder growth.

Short-staffed and looking to fill key MARCOM and MARTECH positions within your company? Not to worry! Let Zenergy’s team fill in the stop-gaps for you while you take the steps necessary to find the ideal candidate(s), saving both time and money in the long-term.

DM us!

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
– Native American Proverb

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!

#FGFStory The Happiest Countries in the World

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the World Happiness Report, which uses global survey data to report on how people evaluate their own lives in more than 150 countries around the world.

“A decade ago, governments around the world expressed the desire to put happiness at the heart of the global development agenda, and they adopted a UN General Assembly resolution for that purpose,” stated UN Economist Jeffrey Sachs. “The World Happiness Report grew out of that worldwide determination to find the path to greater global well-being.”

The Top 10 Happiest Countries are:

• Finland
• Denmark
• Iceland
• Switzerland
• Netherlands
• Luxembourg
• Sweden
• Norway
• Israel
• New Zealand

Read the full report.

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

Vast Majority of Dog Owners Believe They Can Read Their Pooch’s Mind

In honor of Ramadan, meals don’t appear on Tesco billboards until after sunset

25 Best Easter Cocktails

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

#ClientNews Hettich Wins Multiple Red Dot Design Awards

Zenergy is thrilled to congratulate its client, Hettich, who was declared a triple winner of the world renowned Red Dot Award in the ‘Product Design’ category. The AvanTech YOU Illumination feature, the Push to open Silent soft closing system for hinged doors and the Quadro Compact FE 20 drawer runner for wine refrigerators received the accolade for outstanding design quality.

The annual Red Dot Awards for Product Design denotes the year’s best products selected by their Jury. Awards are designated for outstanding design and may be aesthetically appealing, functional, smart or innovative.

Zenergy works as an extension of Hettich Canada’s marketing department and works collaboratively with their team on content development, creative design, social media and public relations initiatives.

#FunFact

Americans consume over 16 million jellybeans on Easter, enough to circle the globe more than three times.

Adapt YouTube Marketing to Appeal to Today’s Consumer

Brands that want to engage with adults on YouTube are best to focus their efforts on YouTube Shorts (surpassed 15 billion daily views) and live videos, one of the top social media drivers.

#FunFact: Of YouTube’s audience, adults spend an average of 42 minutes per day on the platform.

To tap into this audience, it’s important to keep changing strategies to match their preferences by following marketing trends. Here are a few of the most important ones:

• Short-form content rules
• Live videos will continue to gain popularity
• Well-structured videos are a must
• Shopping on YouTube is a reality
• Community relationships matter more

Need help with turnkey video creation? DM us.

#FunFact

One-third of internet users have watched a tutorial or how-to video this week! People seek out video as a teaching tool: take that as inspiration for your own content calendar and produce videos that walk viewers through how to use your product or service. Source: Hootsuite

Key Considerations for B2B Podcasts

B2B podcasts can deliver multiple benefits such as increased brand authority, audience engagement and lead generation. However, it is important to ensure that you develop a ‘unique, authentic voice’ while balancing brand messaging with expert content, aligning topics with customer needs, and establishing the right show format.

In the B2B context, some common reasons to start a podcast include:

• Building brand awareness, credibility, and authority.
• Generating demand since podcasts can be a tool to acquire prospects and influence existing customers.
• Strengthening the omnichannel experience.
• Engaging and retaining existing customers by leveraging exclusive, differentiated content they won’t find elsewhere.
• Creating an alternate revenue stream with complementary sponsorships, subscriptions, and branded content.
• Using them as part of employee and partner communication programs.

in starting a podcast? 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

New Study Looks at the Rise of Virtual Influencers [Infographic]

The 10 Best Inspirational Work Quotes

7 powerful digital marketing strategies for your small business

LinkedIn Adds New Tools for Creators, Including Improved Content Analytics and Updates Profile Video Options

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

#FGFStory: Wife Wins Bet with Lego Tower

A TikTok video showing Jessica Cook build a tower using Lego bricks that reached her ceiling has attracted 6.4 million views and 1.3 million likes. The clip shows Cook explaining that her efforts were in response to a bet by her husband and took around six hours to finish with the help of her kids.

#ProQuote

“The average B2B buyer consumes 13 items of content before making a purchase or contacting a sales executive.”

Liudmila Klimusheuskaja
Marketing Research Analyst at Exadel

#ClientNews: Trial of Go MUVE app “a Resounding Success”

Declares Montréal transit authority

The Montréal transit authority, STM, just released the results of its trial of MUVE’s accessible transportation app, Go MUVE, and Éric Alan Caldwell, Chair of the STM Board of Directors declared: “This trial was a resounding success.”

Zenergy has been working for MUVE since the fall of 2021 to drive awareness of the company and its suite of mobility ecosystem technologies, namely its Go MUVE app. Engaged originally for public relations surrounding the STM trial, Zenergy has been retained to continue working with the company on all their marketing-communications needs

Learn about MUVE and their inclusive mobility app on LinkedIn.

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.

Raindrops are shaped like hamburger buns. As a rain drop falls, it becomes less spherical in shape and becomes more flattened on the bottom like a hamburger bun. Source: NASA

Five Ways Brands Can Master Metaverse PR

The metaverse is taking the world by storm. Mentions of “metaverse” increased by 135% in 2021 Q4, new hires are soaring and virtual real estate sales are expected to reach $1 billion this year.

Given this, there’s been a rapid shift over the past year in metaverse-related PR, starting with a few innovators announcing creative cryptocurrency-backed projects and launching NFTs.

When it comes to messaging and getting press coverage of new metaverse initiatives, here are five ways brands can master metaverse PR:

• Be strategic with PR. One of the main reasons brands are getting involved in the metaverse is to convey to their audience that they’re relevant and innovative, and they believe their consumers will be there as well.
• Learn who is covering the space. Just like traditional PR, if you want to earn press coverage, you’re going to need to get to know the reporters and publications that are covering the metaverse on a daily basis.
• Talk the metaverse talk. Ensure that your senior leadership and spokespeople are as familiar with the metaverse as your tech team. See our #ProTips below for keywords and terms.
• Walk the metaverse walk. The press can smell inauthenticity a mile away. You’ve got to back up your metaverse PR efforts with real substance.
• Share your own take on the metaverse. Many disciplines and sectors outside of pure tech will interact with the metaverse. Whether you’re a C-level executive, a marketer, or an investor, the rise of the metaverse has implications for everyone.

If your brand is making real moves in the metaverse and you have a unique point of view that you can confidently talk about, go for it.

#ProTip:

Access a glossary of metaverse and Web3 keywords and terms.

Report: The State of B2B Content Consumption

According to a recently released NetLine study, white paper uploads increased by 20.3% in 2021, marking the largest growth among B2B content formats, while e-books accounted for the largest percentage of content engagement at 43.3%.

The study also found that:

• The three top job categories among those consuming B2B content were IT, executives, and education.
• 31% of B2B professionals expect to invest in buyer-level intent data in the next 12 months, and 15% in the next six .

Read more about the study here.

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

How to boost your brand awareness online

Perfecting the Partnership

7 powerful digital marketing strategies for your small business

The Business Case for B2B Podcasts

Google Adds New Seller Performance Badges, New Pricing Insights for eCommerce Brands

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

#FGFStory: Donut Cosmetics?

E.l.f. Cosmetics and Dunkin’ teamed up to create a line of makeup products inspired by the chain’s menu, such as the “Dunkin’ Dozen” eye shadow palette based on doughnut flavors. The collaboration is being promoted by TikTok star Mikayla Nogueira, who is hosting a live shopping event on the platform on April 5, and the campaign includes a co-branded pop-up experience in New York City.

#FunFact

B2B webinars are a big sign of intent. Buyers who register for one are 29% more likely to purchase within six months. Source: State of Content Consumption & Demand Report Study by NetLine.

Visual Content Tips

Visuals are essential to creating content that will help your business stand out and attract an audience. Not only does imagery help make text-centric content more eye-catching, digestible, and memorable, but it can also communicate compelling messages that speak volumes without any text.

Here are some best practices:

• the story – not just the visuals
• Align the visual story with your content marketing strategy
• Ensure images reflect and represent your whole audience
• Use fan content – or let them do the work for you
• Stay on brand
• Tailor visuals to the delivery platform
• Repurpose information and insights as visuals
• Follow the patterns of effective design

Need help with your creative design? 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.

The chain of islands nestled in Baa Atoll is one of the most popular aerial views of the Maldives. 🏝🌴

Combine Earned and Paid Media for Success

Investing in developing a brand’s content by leveraging paid placements that align with earned media is a chance to both maximize brand value and increase bottom line results. Here are a few reasons to consider this strategy:

• You own the narrative
• Easy to measure ROI
• Extends the life of your content
• Results in top-tier placement

#ProTip: Paid media can include sponsored content, branded journalism, e-books, and other formats to supplement display ads, boosted social posts, Google AdWords, etc.

Take advantage of a combined approach. DM us!

Tips for a Sustainable Business

To keep customer loyalty and win new business, companies are making sustainability a top priority. Here are five sustainable business tips:

• Measure your emissions.
• Try an emissions app to start an employee sustainability program.
• Make a plan and list the actions required.
• Remeber to support local.
• Reduce or eliminate swag (promotional merchandise).

#ShoutOut to our client Uniboard on their environmental policy that is based on the sustainable use of natural resources and was implemented with the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and the community in mind.

#FunFact: A staggering 73% of consumers will change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact. Source: Nielsen

Are you Hitting the Strip? 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 to book a meeting 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

• Adidas creates paid affiliate program for more than 50K student-athletes
• The year of media mix diversification is here
• 11 LinkedIn Page Post Ideas for Businesses
• Pepsi taps Khaby Lame, David LaChapelle for new Nitro Pepsi campaign
• The Top 7 Marketing Challenges Faced Globally in 2022
• YouTube Launching 5 New Features For Livestreams
• Cryptocurrency is most popular among higher earners

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

#FGFStory: New Plant-Derived Sustainable ‘Plastic’ is Tough as Bone and Hard as Aluminum

The strongest part of a tree is its microscopic cells called cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). An MIT team has engineered a composite made mostly from CNCs, mixed with a bit of synthetic polymer, that is stronger and tougher than some types of bone and harder than typical aluminum alloys. Plus they have developed a recipe that can be fabricated using either 3D printing or conventional casting methods.

The research team’s results are published in the journal Cellulose.

#FunFact

Amazon will account for 39.5% of all US retail ecommerce sales in 2022, or nearly $2 or every $5 spent online. Source: eMarketer

Report: A look at Q1 Consumer App Activity

Consumer spending on apps has increased by more than 40% during the past two years with TikTok, YouTube and Tinder leading the way for the first quarter of 2022, according to data.ai. Instagram held the top spot, followed by TikTok and Facebook.

Read the full report here.

Five Tips for B2B Paid Media

Here are five ideas you can explore, test, or implement depending on your organization’s level of paid media emphasis and sophistication:

Make first-party data a top priority. Browser and operating system restrictions, consumer actions, privacy regulations, and walled gardens are limiting advertisers’ ability to collect and process data.

Play the long game with always-on advertising. Make sure you reserve a portion of your paid media budget for ads that are always on and working to seed future demand.

Invest in creative excellence. B2B advertising can be a bit boring, so spice up your advertising creative with concepts that engage your audience, reinforce your brand promise, and highlight your differentiating value, instead of just promoting the latest white paper or event registration.

Work well with walled gardens. Many B2B publishers are turning the business internet into ‘walled gardens’ by requiring subscriptions from their visitors to read content and limiting advertiser access to their subscribers’ data. Plan for more direct media buys, and use platforms with direct publisher relationships to keep your advertising running within the walls.

Support niche and local publishers. Small publishers that attract B2B buyers are a great place to focus some of your paid media spending because you can extend your audience reach and give your brand a dose of goodwill when readers realize your company is supporting their favorite niche content.

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.

The reason the equinoxes and solstices don’t always come on the same day is that Earth doesn’t circle the sun in exactly 365 days.