2023
Digital Marketing, Instagram, Postcard Media, Social MediaLeave a comment

Trends to look out for in 2023

2022—what a year it has been! From Twitter going through a management shift to Instagram trying features like notes to BeReal trying to redefine social media, it has been quite a journey.

With all of these swift changes, predicting trends for 2023 might be a task, but we will take our shot. So here are a few trends brands can leverage in 2023 to break through the clutter. 

  1. Social SEO will replace hashtags 

Over 40% of people between the age of 18-24 are now using Social Media as their primary search engine. This means instead of using Google Maps or Google search engines, users are using Instagram or TikTok to discover places. So, it’s time for brands to buckle up for 2023 by adding some keywords in copy rather than relying only on hashtags. 

  1. Increase in User Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is an organic marketing tool that helps to create a direct connection with the customers and in building a brand-customer relationship. This means that as a brand, you should create campaigns that motivate your customers to create content because people trust other people. So, take it one step further in 2023 with user-generated content.

  1. A rise in Nano and Micro-Influencers 

With higher engagement rates and more audience connections, micro and nano influencers are on the rise. Their average engagement rate is 7%, which is 2% more than the mega-influencers.

Follower count isn’t the most important factor a brand should look for when choosing an influencer. Nano and micro-influencers have a loyal follower base within a targeted niche that can help them reach a more relevant audience and prove more valuable to a brand. So, consider including more nano and micro-influencers in your brand promotion.

  1. Content goes Full Size

What do you do when a horizontal video pops up on your phone? Do you tilt your phone or scroll past the video? Well, if you scroll past it, you are not alone!  About 94% of smartphone users hold their phones vertically, which means vertical videos have a higher completion rate than horizontal videos. So, stick to more of 9:16 (full-screen vertical) content in 2023. 

  1. Gaming becomes the new playground for advertisers

With the gaming industry on the rise and estimated to be worth $200.8 billion, in-game advertising is estimated to reach $17.6 million by 2023. Advertising in gaming is still an untapped market, but you might see brands dabble with it together in 2023.

  1. Authenticity is the new cool! 

With the increasing popularity of photo dumps, unfiltered pictures, and the growth of apps like BeReal, 2023 would see users consuming more authentic real-time content. For example, Lush Cosmetics has a YouTube channel with a series named “Lush How It’s Made” in which their employees explain each step of the manufacturing process in a YouTube video. This creates two-fold authenticity for the brand, as on one hand, the videos help make the ingredients and products more transparent, and on the other,  employee inclusion makes the company look more accessible to the audience. These YouTube videos not only make customers trust Lush Cosmetics more but also show the company’s value both implicitly and explicitly. So, in 2023, start posting more authentic real-time content to connect with your audience. 

These are just a few of the trends that are slated to dominate the Social Media landscape in 2023. Brands can leverage these trends to stay ahead of their competitors. But remember that Social Media is constantly changing, and the only way to grow is by constantly evolving.

Reference: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, TopicalLeave a comment

The TalkOver: Nutella and Swiggy

Every advertisement campaign is designed to bring the audience closer to the brand, create a connection with them, and increase their recall value. 

We bring you The Talkover; this festive season, we’re talking about two Christmas campaigns that has really got us in the holiday mood.

Today, we are gushing over two of everyone’s favourite brands: Swiggy, known for its quirky, witty, and fun advertisements, and Nutella, known for its appetising, sweet, and warm content. 

Read on, and tell us which campaign is your favourite. 

Swiggy’s – Santa Open To Work Campaign

Swiggy has always created clever, humorous campaigns that struck a chord with people’s emotions. And their  #SantaOpenToWork campaign was precisely that. The campaign was a clever way of illustrating how gift-givers, like Santa, can outsource all of their delivery responsibilities to Swiggy Genie and start looking for other jobs.

It was a refreshing perspective on the holiday season. The main idea behind the campaign was to show how Swiggy Genie can take care of all deliverable orders, giving people time to do a lot of other things.

The advertisement showed Santa reaching out to thousands of potential employers via LinkedIn, internet ads, emails, business cards, posters, and even a video CV in order to find a new job. As part of the campaign, Swiggy made Santa’s fliers and business cards with a QR code with their Genie and Instamart orders. So, when someone scans the QR code, it will take them to a YouTube video of Santa discussing his resume like a pro. Swiggy also distributed unbranded tear-able posters across offices in order to target employers directly. They did this so that office workers could tear out the contact information and share it with each other and their HR departments to see Santa’s video CV online. They also made digital ads where people could view Santa’s video on different social media platforms. 

All of these small details made the campaign successful. While Santa is #OpenToWork and trying to find a job, Swiggy Genie is #OpenToDeliveries and spreading smiles! 

Nutella – Nutella With Love 

Nutella’s #NutellaWithLove campaign was launched to spread love and make the holidays more special. Nutella always tries to interact with consumers across India through their digital and traditional marketing techniques, bringing joy to the celebration.  

The advertisement, created for the Christmas campaign, focused on uniqueness and encouraged Nutella lovers to craft, share, and surprise their loved ones with personalised Nutella jars during the holiday season. 

The brand introduced energetic and loving Ranveer Singh as their Secret Santa, whose Nutella obsession is no secret to anyone. 

Through an exciting digital contest, the brand provided a platform for all Nutella enthusiasts to get their personalised wishes on Nutella jars and Christmas hampers. To do that, customers, had to visit the Nutella website, create a Nutella recipe, and share it on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #NutellaWithLove. A Nutella hamper was given to the top 25 most loved recipes.

Along with personalisation and consumer engagement, the brand also created a unique experience for Nutella fans by giving them access to limited-time collectible Christmas packs which were available in 350-gram variants with a QR code that redirected them to discover all the Nutella special content, like – DIY, Nutella recipes, and up-cycling tutorials, by simply scanning the QR code on the jar. Nutella lovers could choose their favourite Christmas dish with Nutella, bake it with love, and share it with their loved ones. 

In the end, both campaigns did an amazing job of leveraging social media platforms. While Swiggy took a witty turn to introduce its delivery services and made everyone smile with Santa’s wholesome video resume, Nutella went ahead and interacted with the customers by customising personalised Nutella jars for them. 

All in all, Christmas campaigns are known for spreading smiles and joy. So which Christmas campaign made you smile more: Swiggy or Nutella?

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Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, TopicalLeave a comment

The TalkOver: Cadbury vs Coca-Cola

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favorite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

However, we’ll let YOU be the judge of it. Read on and tell us which is the better campaign according to you.

This time on the TalkOver, we’re gushing over these Diwali campaigns that have gotten everyone talking. On Team Cadbury is Jo, who picks Cadbury’s Diwali campaign while Kunika, on Team Coca-cola, picks Coca-cola’s Diwali campaign.

Let’s go!

Cadbury – Not just a Cadbury Ad

Cadbury Celebrations | Not Just A Cadbury Ad

Cadbury has always been a household name around the Diwali time and so have their ads. Their ads are relatable and connect with their audience instantly. This campaign however, connects with their audience on a whole other level! The Not just a Cadbury Ad campaign, starring the legendary actor– Shah Rukh Khan, (to me, that’s already a win) was released in Diwali, 2021 and conceptualized and executed in collaboration with Rephrase.ai, Ogilvy and Wavemaker.

The ad follows Shah Rukh Khan talking himself up with all the new things he’s bought for Diwali from the local shops around him and urging the audience to do the same. What’s special about this ad is that it was simply a template for any small business to use. With AI, businesses could have their products advertised by Shah Rukh Khan! Again, that’s a win in my books. But we have numbers to back this up!

The technology and thought behind this campaign was so unique and never done before, that these results seem inevitable–

  • 105k users logged on to the NotJustACadburyAd.com to create their own ads
  • 139k different versions of the ad were created and shared through social media

There isn’t a person in the country who wouldn’t have felt the repercussions of the pandemic. The Cadbury campaign resonates with its audience because of its honest intention to genuinely do some good. Be it the consumer or a business owner, the Cadbury campaign gives a glimmer of hope that drives a post-pandemic Diwali.

Not Just A Cadbury Ad, like its name, was aimed to look out not just for the identity of the brand but also for the many other businesses that went unidentified and unappreciated after the pandemic. The ads pushed for a good cause by helping lift up local shops, and is overall a well thought out campaign.

Coca-cola – Milke hi manegi Diwali

Coca-Cola | Follow the bottle

Coca-cola has always been synonymous with greeting guests in Indian households, more so on festive occasions like Diwali gettogethers, visits, parties, etc. (which usually happens when friends and family meet, in person). Coca-cola’s latest Diwali Campaign, ups this a notch by encouraging people to not just ‘greet’ but also ‘meet’ to celebrate Diwali. 

The best part of the campaign is the one-of-a-kind tech-driven packaging update which PROMISES/guarantees to bring people closer, much like depicted in the commercial! A special Bluetooth-enabled locked cap, that is programmed to open only in the presence of the sender’s mobile phone. A smart idea symbolizing an emotional promise made to meet in person.

The Campaign ad follows a young man working alone late at night, responding to various text greetings with happy emojis while looking pretty exhausted in reality. This is when he happens to see a Coca-Cola bottle attached to a red ribbon. He grabs a hold and follows the ribbon until he arrives at a Diwali party, reunited with his family to celebrate Diwali.

This is also specially impactful given this is the first Diwali after the pandemic when people can freely travel and meet their family without any fear of infection, breaking the two-year long period of ‘virtual greetings’. 

The campaign worked because it pulled on just the right strings of nostalgia and friendship. The audience feels the need to go a little over the top just to make meeting, after a whole pandemic, that much more special.

Overall, Coca-cola’s #MilkeManayengeDiwali 360-Campaign spoke for the whole Indian demographic celebrating Diwali this year in the physical presence of their families and loved ones. As promised by the creative masterminds behind the campaign, the ad provided a positive nudge for people to come closer together WITH a chilled coke, of course! 

In closing, both campaigns hit home in very different ways. While Coca-cola manages to rekindle friendships and bonds in the post-pandemic era, Cadbury manages to bring hope to businesses that struggled. Both campaigns brilliantly make use of tech in positive and innovative ways, pulling at your heartstrings. It’s tough to decide which brand did it better, so let’s just say Shah Rukh wins.

Which brand do you think aced their Diwali campaign? Are you on Team Coca-cola, Team Cadbury or Team Shah Rukh like us?

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Digital Marketing, Instagram, Interview, Interviews, Lifestyle, Postcard Media, Social MediaLeave a comment

What Women Don’t Want

Mukta Lad has over 13 years of experience in writing, with a special focus on advertising, marketing and media. She has extensively covered the Indian advertising and marketing communications industry as a trade media journalist and is currently the Assistant Editor at Brand Equity.

In a country that expects marriage and kids to be non-negotiable aspects of a woman’s life, you’ve chosen to go solo and live life on your own terms. What are the questions you get asked in this regard (and that you wish people would stop asking!) and how do you respond to these? 

Me choosing to walk out of my marriage and live independently has been a lot of privilege coming together – the privilege of being financially independent, having a well-paying job, no children, the agency to live by myself and have the lifestyle I want, supportive parents who’ve raised me in a progressive environment, and a now ex-partner who has been nothing but amicable and understanding throughout this process; not once has he tried to be difficult or delay any legalities. 

Any one of these privileges, if missing, would have made my life look completely different. I feel it’s important to acknowledge this at the outset. It’s much easier to chart the course of your own life when you have so much going for you. 

In terms of the questions I get asked, they are mostly a combination of the following and some random advice. I’ve taken the liberty to put together a bit of an advisory: 

“OMG are you okay?”

Yes, relax. I’m getting a divorce, not a death certificate. I understand people’s concern, and that it can get awkward when someone says “Oh, XYZ and I aren’t together anymore” but there’s no need to be this dramatic. 

“Are you happy?”

I genuinely love this question. It’s the perfect way for someone to gauge where someone is at mentally with their separation/divorce/break up and decide further course of conversation. 

“How much alimony are you getting?”

I’m not getting any alimony, thank you. And even if I were, why would I discuss the financial nuances with anyone and everyone? 

“Are you marrying again?”

Perhaps start with ‘have you gotten your divorce yet?’ If I marry right now I’ll also have to serve a prison sentence for having two husbands. Kindly stop springing this question. A person who’s getting out of a marriage or has just gotten out of one might not want to answer questions about returning to the very same institution. If you must know their thoughts on marriage, maybe an ‘Are you open to ever marrying again?’ might be a more sensitive variation. 

“Sign up on dating apps already!”

Finding yourself suddenly single can be disorienting. While some people may want to find a partner immediately, others might want nothing more than casual sex. And some others might just want to be alone for a while as they process the end of a long-term relationship. There’s no saying who’s ready when. Friends and well-wishers should stop pressurising people to date/hook up with people on apps. We know apps exist and we’ll do it when we’re ready.

“Don’t commit quickly!”

To me, this is really bizarre advice. When I met my now partner on a dating app six months ago, we decided to be together exclusively in about 2-3 weeks after we met. Questions from friends ranged from “Why did you commit so soon?” and “Keep swiping nevertheless” to “You should have played the field first for a while!” As if partners are refrigerators you might get a better deal on if you wait for a couple of months. Or is there a Big Billion Sale for boyfriends no one told me about? 

We know people mean well, but it’s also not our burden to think of everyone’s intent behind the unsolicited advice. And no one wants to feel judged – like it’s ‘uncool’ to commit but casual sex is ‘cool’. It’s all cool to whoever’s deciding, just stay out of it! 

What are your thoughts on the depiction of women in advertising today? In what way would you like to see it (the way women are depicted) change? 

I could write a book on this. I have been covering advertising for a while now and there’s so much that needs to change when it comes to depicting women. Having said that, advertising also reflects society and its mindsets, so well, it’s natural it’s not going to become ideal overnight. 

My biggest bone of contention with women’s portrayal in ads is the absolute lack of understanding of the everyday woman. She’s either a sanskaari mummy toiling for the well-being of her husband and children since dawn (wearing a full-sleeved salwar kameez) or she’s straddling a Bullet and going off on long bike rides. There seems to be no relatable in-between for the everyday woman – the one who manages her home, feeds her family but also holds a full-time job and looks after the elderly in her house. As if her routine struggles and rebellions aren’t ‘cool’ enough for TV.

I did a story recently for Women’s Day, where one advertising veteran I quoted said, “The worshipping of a woman’s many roops is a burden she carries. You can make lots of cute ads about lazy fathers but never an ad about a forgetful mom.” I think this sums this up very well. That it’s always nice to see women doing virtuous things on screen as far as possible. If she’s doing ‘rebellious’ things – the other end of this stereotype, it’s to make a statement, of course. And don’t forget to show she has coloured hair, tattoos, multiple piercings, a bike, a drum kit, and an electric guitar to complete the look.

Business, Covid-19, Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Social MediaLeave a comment

Digital Marketing During COVID-19

Brands across the globe are slowly coming to terms with the power of digital marketing with the effects of Covid-19. Whether your brand has temporarily frozen on-ground activities or implemented remote working, adapting to digital platforms can be an optimal way to connect with your consumers in the times ahead. Here are some ways in which brands can leverage Digital Marketing during this pandemic.

  1. Enhance visibility

The Internet is the only place not quarantined for consumers. Brands should explore the realms of Social Media to build awareness, generate leads, determine how the market feels about you, and much more.

Source: Social Pilot 

  1. Connect with your customers

Always create an emotional connection with your customers. Creating content that interacts with consumers and makes them feel good is crucial in these challenging times. 

Source: Social Pilot

  1. Engage on Social Media

59% of consumers started spending more time on Social Media platforms during the pandemic to keep them entertained, connected, and informed. Assess this opportunity to double down on Social Media. Build trust with your existing and new customers. 

Source: ClickZ

  1. Be future-ready

Many companies that have transitioned online recently will remain online in the future. The relationships you build with consumers now will only strengthen your brand in a post-pandemic world.  

 Source: Hubspot

  1. Be Proactive

Companies in India, Italy, and Spain are leading the way with 73%, 71%, and 66% of their respondents making purchases through social ads. Consider investing in content warehousing and building strong SEO for your domains. 

 Source: ClickZ

  1. Bonus Benefit!

To add a little more something to your Social Media strategy contact us and let us help you make your mark!