Schwinn Partners with Good Co. Bike Club to Promote Cycling in the Black Community

by Leave a Comment

Soon after the pandemic hit New York, Brooklyn cyclist Drew Bennett posted on his Instagram Stories that he was going on a bike ride and if anyone wanted to join, they should meet at the Brooklyn Museum. He was surprised to see 17 cyclists show up. Bennett (and cycling) struck a chord with folks and the Good Company Bike Club was born. A few weeks later, a Juneteenth celebration boasted 1500 riding around New York City.

Seeing an opportunity to connect with an oft ignored market segment of Black cyclists, Schwinn partnered with Good Co. Bike Club and features the group as part of its #IAmACyclist campaign. You can hear more of Drew’s story here and see Good Co. Bike Club featured in an ad. As a cyclist, I love it!

Unrest following George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a police officer in 2020, many brands are waking up to connect with and support marginalized groups. This type of partnership may be seen as taking advantage of a moment – and some might question Schwinn’s sincerity – which might lead to an interesting class discussion.

Nike: Can you be an athlete?

by Leave a Comment

Nike shows support for mothers in this recent video. In time for Mother’s Day. This video offers can be integrated into and foster discussion on many different topics including:

  • Marketing for a Better World (Chapters 1 and 19 in Essentials of Marketing)
  • Segmentation and targeting (Chapter 4)
  • Promotion and owned media (Chapters 13 and 16)

How the Pandemic is Changing Consumer Behavior…

by Leave a Comment

Over the last year, many of us have had conversations with our students about how the pandemic might permanently change consumer behavior. While the short-run changes (greater sales of Peloton bikes, more home projects – go Home Depot, and lower sales at restaurants and movie theaters, and of course no indoor concerts) are interesting, I think the fun stuff is thinking about which changes will stick. I like to use this topic as a way to get my students thinking. So I ask them, “Which pandemic changes in consumer behavior are likely to stick?” I often use this as a small group activity so they can chat with classmates.

After soliciting their ideas – and of course asking them “why?” I like to share with them what some of the so-called experts think. This article at McKinsey.com “The great consumer shift: Ten charts that show how US shopping behavior is changing” has lots of good stuff to share with your students — and here is another article. You can cut and paste some of the charts (data is good) into your PowerPoints and either confirm or supplement they ideas they come up with.

Do Micro-Targeted Online Ads Work?

by Leave a Comment

subprime attention crisis coverA lot of digital advertising is based on the idea that firms like Google and Facebook have data that allows them to microtarget advertising. These two companies now dominate advertising media. But do they really work? On the one hand, you might expect that advertisers can (and should) be tracking the success of their online advertising. Unlike John Wanamaker, a retailing pioneer who is supposed to have said “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half,” today’s marketing managers are supposed to know what works and what doesn’t. They can see which ads bring click-throughs that result in sales. They can track those new customers over time and see if they continue to buy and how profitable they are. In theory.

In a new book, Subprime Attention Crisis, former Google employee Tim Hwang argues that theory is overblown. I have not yet read the book — it is on my Amazon wish list. That said, I did read a pretty good review of the book in Wired, “Ad Tech Could Be the Next Tech Bubble” (October 5, 2020). There I read, that Hwang’s book makes the case that “Microtargeting is far less accurate, and far less persuasive, than it is made out to be…” Most ads are never seen because of ad blockers or poor placement. Many are only clicked on by ad fraud.

I do need to read the book. As noted above, advertisers should be tracking this stuff themselves. But it does give me reason to pause.

Advertising in a Pandemic…

by Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago we posted on a couple of articles discussing the question about how to advertise in a pandemic. This week, I thought I would share some favorite advertising that directly addresses the pandemic. It is amazing how quickly some brands (and their agencies) have created powerful ads in a short time.

Check out these ads (links to a YouTube video of the ad you can watch and show your students):

  • McDonald’s: Unskippable Ad is a handwashing reminder that runs pre-roll (before online video). While such ads are usually skippable after 5 seconds, this one cannot be skipped. It was part of a McDonald’s Russia campaign “We are for safety. With both hands.” The ad educates while also letting everyone know that McDonald’s is a safe option.
  • The Ohio Department of Health created “Flatten the Curve” to educate Ohioans (and others) the theory behind social distancing. A great example of how a short video can communicate a great deal. It is also a nice example of Marketing for a Better World (#M4BW). This simple video communicates a lot.
  • Nike: Play for the World, You Can’t Stop Us shows Nike athletes and everyday people who are still playing — though now indoors. Nike has long used its advertising to encourage us to “Just do it” or get out and play. This ad fits the times.
  • Dove has long been a leader (that link shows they have been doing it for more than 15 years!) in re-defining beauty. In a pandemic, they show some “beautiful” front-line healthcare workers in “Courage is Beautiful.” Great fit with its image. Authentic. But maybe uplifting for some of our students who are struggling with the current situation.