On March 16, 2023, the ARF Young Pros led an exploration of the ongoing transformation and future trajectory of social media to help organizations navigate the landscape and create more strategic social media plans. Panelists discussed trends, the role of influencers, creative branding campaigns and more.
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At ARF SHOPPER 2023, which took place in Chicago and virtually on March 9, the industry’s leading marketers and retailers came together to explore the latest research-based consumer insights, and how they are using this data to understand today’s shoppers, build innovative experiences and brand loyalty. Attendees learned about consumer behavioral shifts, how retail media networks are gaining traction in digital marketing strategies, and the latest shopping trends.
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We’ve all heard about the growing use of artificial intelligence in advertising research and doom and gloom predictions that it will knock out jobs, but is this really the case? Agency leaders joined us for an ARF Town Hall to discuss the upsides and possible downsides of generative AI, as well as how they’re utilizing it in their businesses to boost efficiency. Attendees heard predictions on how AI will change the business model of advertising and what it could mean for media agencies.
The ARF Creative Council hosted its seventh Happy Hour event on Super Bowl advertising and what to watch for in the commercial breaks during this year’s big game. Council member Belle Frank of VMLY&R moderated a discussion with four creative experts – three of them from the Creative Council -- to discuss Super Bowl ad insights and trends, giving marketers important ideas to consider and advertising fans something to look for on Sunday night.
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As civil liberties continue to be politicized, advertisers have a growing expectation to be part of the solution and fill the trust gap between consumers, government, and media. On February 7, Mindshare and GroupM unveiled new research examining the sentiments of those most impacted—voices who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented in media and society—by the eroding rights to privacy. Further topics of discussion included the future of using “women’s empowerment” in marketing campaigns and the larger economic implications when bodily autonomy rights are lost.
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In this presentation, Paul Donato, CRO of the ARF, covered findings from the seminal year of the “What Brands Did in 2020” (Brands 2020) project. This project will go on for at least the next two years or until the effects of 2020 are no longer felt. ARF researchers in the Brands 2020 study used IRI and NCS data, Kantar Ad Insights, NCS sales and Nielsen Ad Intel data, between 2017 and 2021. The IRI data was a very deep dive but across three categories: salty snacks, pasta sauce and personal care products. The NCS data was shallower but across 10 broad categories. Using all these data, ARF researchers looked at share of media, media spend and share of market before and after March 2020 (Covid) and before and after March of 2021 (start of inflation).
Several previous studies agree that decreasing advertising during a recession can hurt sales during and after the period of economic contraction, whereas increasing advertising can increase sales, market share and earnings. An IPA study from the UK during the 2008 recession found that those that “went dark” tended to lose excess share of voice, the impact of which could take five years to recover. This UK study also showed a linear relationship between both ROI and an uplift in revenue as a function of advertising during a recession. The Brands 2020 study found more nuanced findings. Member Only Access
In this Fireside Chat session, Young Pros Advisory Board member Megan O’Brien, Sr. Research Analyst, Omnicom Media Group, had an insightful discussion with Mary Sheehan, Head of Lightroom Product Marketing, Adobe. Mary shared her expert career knowledge with attendees about navigating their career journey and strategizing for 2023. Mary is an author and expert in career strategy, marketing, leadership, and workforce development. Mary shared how she specifically navigated her career and how other young professionals can use her insights of managing teams, deadlines, career development, and goal setting to navigate their careers. Mary has so much profound knowledge that she recently released a new book, “Product Launches” which is now an Amazon best seller.
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An ARF event presented by the LA Media Research Council focused on insights from 2022 research and on 2023 priorities to meet business challenges. Issues addressed in research presentations and by an expert panel included the evolution of streaming during an economic downturn, how to manage subscriber churn, understanding Gen Z and the continued need for better measurement across the ecosystem.
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