Cathy Knowlson

Today marks 30 days at Consumer Reports Here are a few takeaways for anyone (especially marketers) about to start a new gig: 1. Balance education with action. Every biz book says to spend your first 30-90 days on a listening tour. While I agree that listening and learning is critical, you need to show that you can get stuff done. Follow your gut to jumpstart small projects and make incremental changes, all in pursuit of getting more data and insight into what might work when you’re more fully onboarded. 2. Immerse yourself in the product. It shocks me how many marketers I speak with don’t know their product inside and out. I’m very fortunate that CR’s products are useful and fun! I’ve spent recent evenings looking up the ratings and reviews for every appliance in my home, diving into our socials, scrubbing my PII from the web via our Permission Slip app, and even leafing through our iconic magazine. 3. Resist the familiar. So many CMOs I know bring their agencies with them wherever they go. Sometimes that makes sense, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s often difficult to know until you’ve given existing partners a chance and really know the business. No matter how agile your team and org is, changing agencies or vendors is disruptive, and the benefits of the change must outweigh the cost of disruption. Don’t do something just because it’s comfortable or part of your “playbook”! And a note to new agencies and vendors reaching out to me constantly: I’m not there yet!! 4. Invest in cross-functional relationships from day one. When I was exploring new opportunities I can’t tell you how many times a recruiter said, “The CEO is looking for someone highly collaborative, especially given that the previous CMO didn’t get along with so and so.” Marketers can’t do anything without strong partnership across Product, Sales, HR, Finance, etc. The early focus you have on building trust and confidence throughout your team needs to permeate throughout the organization, and every new initiative you soon take on will happen much more quickly. Hope this helps! 🫡

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This week I had two marketing friends sing the praise of the "How brands grow" in a slightly reckless way. You know, in the "It changes everything, and [other prominent marketing thinkers/scientists] were completely wrong" Clearly, a lot of people just love that work. Well, I do too, on many levels. But I think there are a few things to consider before calling that book the best thing since advertising of sliced bread. I will just mention what I see as the most important ones. 1. If you base your research on categories where the alternatives are undifferentiated and easily replaceable (Nielsen definition, I have not yet seen the def. in How brands grow - very odd considering it is an absolutely central concept in the research) it is not surprising to find consumers to see brands as undifferentiated and easily replaceable in said categories. And of course with the disloyalty that would follow, and the propensity to go with the market leader everything else being equal. 2. There are literally thousands of empirically based peer reviewed papers published every year. If empirical science is so important, why does it sound like EBI is in any way unique about this? Why are people not equally astounded by BAV, Binet & Fields and other practical scientific empirical research? 3. Why the mixup of brand and advertising? It is very ambitious about how advertising works. But what about directing innovation, having differentiation in pricing and payment models, disruptive technology, and all the things that are so evident in so many brand success stories. It is just like these things happen on another planet. Now. What irks me the most is this idea that one guy is RIGHT and all others are therefore now WRONG. Of course not. Marketing is extremely contextual, and the difficulty is that we are dealing with almost endless independent variables of anything we want to study as a dependent variable. Keep reading, keep searching, and keep thinking. I coauthored Kevin Keller's Strategic Brand Management, European Edition, by the way, and even when I did that I did not buy into everything that good ol' Kevin wrote. I probably don't even agree with everything I said last year. And I think that makes me a better professional, frankly.

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There's nothing tougher to break than a habit. For marketers, shaping consumer behavior isn't an element of our work - it is our work. The process may look different across industries, but there are a few features that are universal. Take just a second to think about your recurring purchases, like grocery shopping, then give this a read. #Marketing #ConsumerTrends #SEO

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Anybody want some good news? It’s blowing in, my friends. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index reached 102 in May, a level not seen since the early 2000s. (A reading above 100 indicates a strong and optimistic consumer outlook, making this surge a promising sign for brands and the agencies that serve them. As the kids say: LFG!) Consumer spending remains robust, as evidenced by the recent successes of companies like Dick's Sporting Goods (5.3% increase in comparable sales, largely driven by my relentless purchasing of pickleball supplies) and Abercrombie & Fitch (22% year-over-year jump in sales for the first quarter for a company that's finally turning the corner). These examples perhaps demonstrate that consumers are willing to spend when presented with compelling value (perceived worth relative to price). Rising consumer confidence and lower prices are like wind and sails for a ship – together, they can propel a brand forward with incredible speed and efficiency. Brands that effectively combine the appeal of value with the growing optimism among consumers will find themselves well-positioned to outsail their competitors. To harness this powerful combination, brands should consider emphasizing the long-term value and benefits of their products or services. By positioning their offerings as smart investments that will pay off over time, brands can tap into the confident and optimistic mindset of consumers. For example, a technology company could highlight how their latest smartphone model is built to last, with features that will keep it relevant and valuable for years to come. A home appliance brand could emphasize the energy efficiency and cost savings their products offer, appealing to consumers' desire for both value and long-term benefits. This combination has been witnessed before, notably during the 1990s economic boom when consumer confidence soared and value-driven brands experienced unprecedented growth. I remember it like it was yesterday! Grunge and flannel and free-spending, oh my! Sure, caution is also in the wind. As economist John Kenneth Galbraith once said, "The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable." While the future is uncertain, the current alignment of rising confidence and value-driven messaging presents an opportunity brands cannot afford to ignore. Ambitious brands and their stewards must stay attuned to the evolving consumer landscape and pivot their approaches to harness the wind of rising confidence and the appeal of value. Those who effectively navigate these waters will find themselves sailing towards a brighter future. #ConsumerConfidence #BrandStrategy #ValueMessaging #NavigatingChange

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Is Chick-fil-a okay? This might’ve been one of the biggest employee branding opportunity fumbled. And yes, we get the need for guidelines and policies - but, nothing is set in stone and can be altered to reflect a new way of branding if positive sentiments are involved. Oh well. #Branding #SocialMedia #Marketing

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Who killed the "white paper"? I did -- or at least I'm trying to. Learn what I think we should be publishing instead in this #offthecuff porch confession. #contentmarketing #b2b #youcantmakemereadallthat #b2bmarketing #contentstrategy #videomarketing #videostrategy

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Most brands try to say too much in their first interaction with a potential customer. This leads to TMI, which leads to clutter - too much copy, too many bullet points, too many CTAs. So try this approach instead. Ask yourself, "What do they need to know? And when do they need to know it?" Then break up that messaging into smaller, bite-sized pieces, like those mini Kit-Kats we all love to snack on before, during, and after Halloween. Tease your audience with a little bit of mystery. Tantalize them with clues. Get them to lean in and ask for more. Timing is everything. #strategy #insights #messaging

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After nearly three years as an soloprenuer, I *think* I've cracked the morning routine - here's what I do: 🗣️ Wake up and check in with my partner about the day 🏊‍♀️ Get ready and head to the pool for a refreshing swim (I either walking or taking public transit depending on timing) 🛒 After my workout, swing by the grocery store or run other errands, maybe treating myself to a coffee or smoothie 🚶‍♀️ Walk or take transit back home, again depending on timing ☕ If I didn't get coffee while out, make some as soon as I'm home 🚿 Shower and unpack groceries 💑 Check back in with my partner, make sure everything going well in his day 🥗 Start prepping ingredients for dinner or lunches for the week 🧺 Throw in a load of laundry or tackle other household chores And then, finally, at 5:30pm, it's time to sit down and start my workday! Just kidding - it's time for a well-earned rewatch of an old Survivor episode. I've found that getting my exercise, errands, and household tasks done really up my mind to focus better once I sit down to work (you know, if there's time for work). I'm a big believer in finding a routine that works for you and your natural rhythms. There's no singular path to success as a #personalityhire. The key is building a lifestyle you can sustain for the long haul. What about you - what does your ideal morning look like? Let me know in the comments!

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It is 2024 and the channels and methods marketers need to leverage to obtain top visibility with their consumers has drastically changed. Now is the time to start implementing change and SOCi can help! #Innovation #LocalizedMarketing

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The past several weeks I have been auditing strategies, copywriting, workflows, etc (my favorite!) for an agency for all of their clients. My comments and feedback are getting repetitive because they're not doing the foundational basics like I teach and practice. Every client is different, every approach should be different, yet the foundational basics remain the same: defined purpose, objectives, audience, tone/voice, content pillars, content themes, community management, copywriting, content creation and reporting. 📧 Get How to Write Social Media Copy (even if you're already writing it) in your inbox Wednesday morning: https://lnkd.in/gjAc2DpN 🧠 Read previous issues: https://lnkd.in/gmnSXyna

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The global market is constantly changing, and it’s really fascinating to see how new consumer groups are emerging. I’ve been diving deep into these trends because they’re crucial for staying ahead—not just for us at Contraire Studio, but for any brand looking to make a real impact. Have you heard about "The Reductionists?" They’re a group catching a lot of attention for their minimalist approach, and I think there's a lot we can learn from them to refine our strategies. #MarketingInsights #ConsumerBehavior #BrandEngagement

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Brand tip #11: Stay in your lane** Probably the greatest thing good branding can do for you: help you stay in your lane. If you think of your "lane" as a bowling lane, what good branding does is put up those kid-friendly bumpers along the edges of your lane that help you stay on target. Sometimes you'll bowl a strike (great), sometimes you'll only get a few pins (good). But, really, what you're always trying to do is minimize gutter balls. If you're loosey-goosey with your branding, you'll be pumping plenty of time, money, and effort into the gutters. So, what is branding and how does it help you? 👉 Visual branding (your logo, colours, font, styling). This keeps you in your lane, visually. This is how you *appear* to your audience. Once you lock in a brand logo, your company becomes consistent and identifiable. You lock in a brand font and you're less tempted to experiment with Papyrus or Comic Sans (although the temptation is always there, admit it). And with brand colours locked in, you don't need to stress over what colour to use on that next graphic — you use your brand colours and your brand colours only. 👉 Verbal branding (your values, vision, mission, value prop, positioning, tone). This keeps you in your lane, verbally. This is how you *sound* to your audience. Just like how visual branding keeps you on course aesthetically, verbal branding keeps you on course with your messaging. "Maybe we should try this other thing we don't usually do?" Nope. "What if we try sounding like that other brand?" Nope. "This new product is a bit different , so maybe this time we..." Let me stop you there... still nope. When you have a strong brand voice, you don't need to go veering off course. Branding is not arbitrary, it's there for a reason. So use it. Ultimately, you want to be consistent. Brand consistency (visual and verbal) helps create brand recognition, audience connection, trust, and authority. You want your audiences to understand you and know what to expect from you. So build a brand you love and stick with it. Stay. In. Your. Lane. ** Note: Only stay in your lane as it relates to your branding. In life, do whatever you like. Be ambitious, take risks, learn, improve, fail, bowl in multiple lanes. Be you. Go get it. _____ Hi, I'm Sam from Clap Clap Creative. I talk about #branding, #plainlanguage, #contentstrategy, and #storytellingforbusiness. Got a question? Hit me up.

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When I interview a potential new employee, the most common question I get is "What has kept you at Directive for so long?" I give two answers to that question. 1. Variety Every day is a new day in my role and in every role I've ever had here. This isn't unique to Directive or agencies in general, but I don't know of any agency that isn't a bag full of mysteries that you're tasked with solving on a daily basis. For some people, that's a nightmare - they crave predictability to ensure they operate in the best way possible for their own DNA. I'm a through-and-through multi-tasker: I listen to music while reading books.  I watch hockey on my phone while playing NHL24 on my Xbox.  I read emails while doing keyword research while watching the Gong recording of our SEO team meeting while planning for my next call. Is it perfect? Hell no, but it works for me and has for most of my life. Throw in client variety, strategy variety, budget variety, ICP variety, travel variety...if you truly believe that "variety is the spice of life" then Directive is basically McCormick. It works for me and that's what is important. 2. The People I've been given a lot of fun nicknames in my time here at Directive: "The Wall" - coming from my passion for partnering with our team and defending our relationships with our clients "The Firefighter" - working hard to ensure we don't burn ourselves or our clients  "The Client Whisperer" - being a client advocate in all instances to ensure our customers are heard and served appropriately But I tell people that I can only fulfill those personas because of the people on my team. I won't defend an undefendable team member.  I can't put out a fire if my team is full of arsonists.  I can't advocate for the client to a team that is unwilling to change and grow. We hire based on Culture here at Directive and while that word can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, for me, it means who you are when people aren't looking. That value system that drives you as an individual. If you have the sort of ethic, spirit, and value system that aligns with ours, man, we can truly do some amazing work together. 

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There is no such thing as a "diverse" person. The word describes the makeup of a group, not a type of person relative to another type of person. ❌ a diverse applicant is not a thing ❌ a diverse vendor is not a thing ❌ a diverse supplier is not a thing ❌ a diverse board member is not a thing ❌ a diverse creator is not a thing ✅ a diverse workforce is a thing ✅ a diverse set of approved vendors is a thing ✅ a diverse list of preferred suppliers is a thing ✅ a diverse board of directors is a thing ✅ a diverse slate of creators is a thing As Myles Worthington and I were discussing earlier, when you refer to an individual as "diverse" you might as well say they are "different than the norm". Not only is the incorrect usage of the word "diverse" demeaning to the people being defined in terms of their perceived "difference from the norm", (or if you want to get really real, their perceived proximity to power...) ...in terms of the makeup of the global population, it's not even anywhere CLOSE to accurate. Combine all the people generally referred to as diverse, and it's very clear that the "normal" people are farrr outnumbered. So can we agree to stop describing some individuals as diverse? Pretty please with a cherry on top? It really is like nails on a chalkboard to many of us each time we hear it. We are just used to pretending and going along. (PS - don't confuse plurality with refering to a group. When we say "we are looking for diverse creators" we are still refering to individuals as diverse. "we are looking to diversify our slate of creators" 👌🏾 ding ding ding! See what I mean?) #diverse #wordsmatter #responsiblemarketing

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eComm executives: Here’s why the marketing reports never translate to the P&L and why your marketing team struggles to articulate things in simple ways… The marketing reports are not measuring what drives sales, they are measuring how customers arrived to your site. And there's a BIG difference. In the data table below, we segmented channels by brand and non-brand and reported on spend (for paid channels) and revenue from both GA4 and the ad platform’s reporting. Notice how: The paid channels are claiming to have driven more sales than even happened from all channels on the website. If true, that would mean non-paid channels contributed -$109k. That is so obviously absurd and shows the extent to which ad platforms claim too much sales credit. They are not a safe measure to report on or base decisions on. Doing so will result in too much spend and tanking profit. Google Analytics on the other hand shows sales of $1M from paid and $1M from non-paid channels. Also the total sales should approximate your true total sales. This seems like a much safer measurement source. Trouble is, the non-brand and prospecting ads are driving way more sales than what is reported here. Likely not as much as the ad platforms claim, but a lot more than what is reported by GA. If you follow this measure, you will always limit your spend on the channels that drive new visitors to your website. You will massively limit profit and growth. Also, brand ads are way overstated by GA and ad platforms alike. If you turn them off, you will lose far less sales than what is reported here. Some marketers who understand these truths simply set ROAS goals in the middle of the GA and platform ROAS #’s. This is complete guesswork and is absolutely not safe. But, we understand why they do it, they are trying to do better because they understand the systems are broken. Broken measurement is the most significant performance limiter in ecommerce marketing. And firms spend 15-25% of sales on their marketing (employees, agencies, media, analysis, creative, etc). Our firm built a software called Scaling Path that generates a custom channel-measurement system for every client. It’s a game changer to performance, organizational communication and growth planning. Reach out to learn more!

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JUST RELEASED: Are your campaigns effectively reaching your target audiences? In collaboration with Qrious Insight, the Game-Changing Shift report series delves into social advertising effectiveness. How does personal media choice affect brand campaigns? We’ll explore the impact in 4 categories, starting with QSR. Check out the full report.

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Question: Who's in SF for Config this month? Friends, fellow marketers, new #UX buddies? It's my first trip to the Bay Area in ages, and I'm stoked. {Fun fact: The first piece of "art" I had in college was a framed photo of the Golden Gate Bridge.} It's also my first industry event as an attendee in ages. I'm ready to geek out about Figma - so come sit by me. #design #marketing #uxresearch

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