MORE DIGITAL = MORE HUMAN™
Leave a CommentHow AI, data, and platforms can converge to make brand interactions more human in 2024
“The world is changing faster than ever!”
“Tech is advancing at an exponential rate!”
“Robot overlords!”
We get it. Sure, if it’s mostly true, but what can we as marketers do to survive and grow in this ever-shifting environment? Of course you need to be more digital. You also need to be more human.
Humanity is the warm and fuzzy core of technology’s cold and crunchy shell. It’s what connects us with others, inspires us to create, and drives us to make a difference. It’s what sets us apart from the machines and platforms that are increasingly enmeshed in our lives. But humanity is also fragile. It can be lost, forgotten, or ignored in the pursuit of efficiency, convenience, or algorithms.
Brands that want to survive and thrive beyond the next 3, 5, or 10 years will be the ones that embrace both the gooey and the crunchy; those who use digital to be more human.
In working across a diverse range of industries across healthcare, pharma, tech, CPG, business process outsourcing (BPO), and sports, we at S50 see similarities to customers that others might miss. There’s a lot you can learn from observing a first-time homebuyer and people using genetic screens.
In a series of blog posts, we’ll share with you some of the insights, ideas, and examples of how to be more digital and more human, especially with AI, in 2024. We will explore topics such as:
- How to use AI to enhance (not replace!) human creativity and intelligence. AI can help us generate new ideas, overcome our own cognitive biases, as well as evaluate and refine our concepts — all while shortening the time from concepting to launch and improving performance.
- How to design digital experiences that are personalized, intuitive, and engaging. AI can help us understand and anticipate the desires, preferences, and emotions of our customers so we can tailor our digital products, messaging — creating services to make them feel that the brand really “gets them.”
- How to leverage data and analytics to understand and anticipate customer needs, behaviors, and trends. AI can help us collect, analyze, and visualize large amounts of data, and extract meaningful insights and patterns from them — maybe even helping us skate to where the puck is going.
- How to communicate with authenticity, emotion, and impact. AI can help us craft compelling messages, stories, and content that use data to resonate with our audience — helping them feel seen, heard, and valued.
- How to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and diversity. AI can help us create a more inclusive, diverse, and innovative work environment, where we can learn from each other, share ideas — and solve problems, big and small, together.
Join us on this journey. We’ll explore how to be more digital and more human in 2024 together. Because the future belongs to those who can balance both.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we will dive into the first topic: How to use AI to enhance, not replace, human creativity and intelligence.
S50
More Digital. More Human.
BGB Group Announces Partnership with Scrum50 to Deliver High-Impact, Consumer-Centric Creative to Healthcare Clients
Leave a CommentScrum50 brings a decade of barrier-free, consumer-connecting expertise to enhance BGB’s expanding capabilities
New York City, NY – February 1, 2024 – BGB Group (BGB), an award-winning healthcare commercialization and communications company headquartered in New York City with offices in Washington DC, Boston, and London, today announced a strategic partnership with Scrum50 (S50), a dynamic, agile-first creative agency based in South Norwalk, CT. This collaboration marks a transformative alliance, the next phase of BGB’s expertise enhancement aimed at remaining ahead of biopharma’s biggest challenges. The teams are set to redefine creativity and impact in the healthcare sector.
S50 will continue to operate independently across all industry sectors.
“We are excited to formalize our partnership with S50,” noted Greg Passaretti, Founding Partner of BGB Group. “We’ve been working together for nearly a year, and we realized that there’s much more that we can accomplish for a marketplace in need of broader creative and engagement solutions.”
BGB Group, known for its deep clinical expertise, has been enhancing its ability to forge valuable connections with healthcare consumers. “S50 is great at breaking down complexities, approaching marketing challenges from new angles and getting great new ideas implemented quicky,” noted Brendon Phalen, Founding Partner of BGB Group. “Their work has captured attention in our sector because of their fresh, authentic approach to creating connections.”
S50 has delivered results for a broad range of consumer and healthcare organizations from Mondelēz, American Express, Subway and Jägermeister to AbbVie, Gilead, and Myriad Genetics. “S50 has a team that is exceptional at creating meaningful customer connections on a personal level,” noted Michael LeBeau, Founder and Managing Partner of S50. “We’ve become the perfect home for free-spirited, risk-taking creative problem solvers.”
Chris Parker, Founder and Managing Partner of S50, notes that pharmaceutical clients have been very receptive to new ways to establish critical customer connections. “We know non-branded search across healthcare continues to climb. Audiences are searching and our job is to align what customers care about with opportunities for brands to provide relevant expertise.”
“Our collaboration has been outstanding,” noted Jen Miller, Executive Creative Director and Managing Partner of S50. “BGB has unmatched expertise in scientific content and that gives us a tremendous advantage as we develop new ways to connect with consumers
to deliver information they can trust. Together we’re bringing a totally new approach in a sector that is known for contrived and overused communication formulas.”
“This partnership enhances our ability to apply the science of consumer marketing to the pharmaceutical space,” said Teresa Day, President of BGB Group, “and opens the door for clients to tap into the expanded and interconnected marketing expertise at BGB.”
The strategic partnership between BGB and S50 is poised to usher in a new era of creativity and impact in healthcare. Together, these leaders are committed to delivering innovative solutions that resonate with consumers.
About S50:
S50 is an award-winning, customer-obsessed marketing agency. Our mission is to marry world-class strategic creative with an innovative approach to deliver deeper brand-to-consumer connections. We focus on three competency areas for clients: Agency services, eBusiness and Digital Transformation. www.s50.agency
About BGB Group:
At BGB Group, the brightest minds in healthcare are merging science and creativity to deliver the best in specialized services including healthcare advertising, medical education, strategic consulting, and payer marketing. BGB seamlessly integrates medical expertise into each piece of business, bringing an unmatched level of insight, perspective, and scientific sophistication to every assignment, for every client. www.bgbgroup.com
Media Contact:
BGB
Amanda Eckel
aeckel@bgbgroup.com
S50
Katie Coleman
katie.coleman@s50agency.com
En español, por favor: Why healthcare marketers should take the lead from SNL and Bad Bunny
Leave a CommentSNL’s recent bilingual episode is yet another sign that your brand should be communicating with Spanish-speaking audiences.
As marketers, part of our job is keeping an eye on trends and shifts. We know that building a winning brand involves seizing opportunities. Many times, that means staying on top of social media trends or advances in technology. Other times, it means getting familiar with a decades-old population shift.
The recent bilingual episode of Saturday Night Live, featuring the multi-award-winning Bad Bunny, is a prime example of how even mainstream American entertainment is acknowledging the growing influence and importance of Spanish-speaking audiences. Featuring bits entirely in Spanish, it’s a testament to the economic and cultural power of Hispanic Americans in the United States.
The Demographic Powerhouse
First and foremost, let’s talk numbers. Hispanic Americans make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population (almost 64 million people). It’s not just the size of this demographic that matters; it’s their characteristics that make them a compelling target for marketers.
The U.S. Hispanic population is young, upwardly mobile, and growing faster than the general population. In addition, this demographic is well-educated, tech-savvy, and has a strong affinity for American culture while retaining a deep connection to their Hispanic roots. This duality creates a unique opportunity for brands to connect with a dynamic and diverse audience.
Economic Empowerment
In 2023, the Latino purchasing power (LPP) in the United States was estimated to be a staggering $3.2 trillion, marking a 14% increase from 2022. This surge in economic power reflects not only the increasing size of the Hispanic population but also their growing affluence. From financial services to consumer goods, the Hispanic market is a force to be reckoned with, and those who engage with them now stand to reap the rewards.
Media Consumption Explosion
And it’s more than numbers and purchasing power. Hispanic audiences are rapidly expanding their media consumption across various channels. They are avid podcast listeners, streaming TV enthusiasts, and active gamers. This diversification of media habits provides ample opportunities for brands to connect through multiple touchpoints. By understanding these habits and preferences, marketers can tailor their messages to resonate with this audience effectively.
Healthcare Marketing’s Awakening
In this landscape of opportunity, healthcare marketing has begun to recognize the value of expanding its reach to Spanish-speaking communities. Brands like Dupixent, Mounjaro, and even the pharmacy chain CVS are leading the way. They’ve realized that addressing the unmet needs of Spanish-speaking communities isn’t just a profit play; it’s an essential step towards elevating the health of the entire nation.
For far too long, language barriers and cultural disconnects have hindered access to healthcare for Hispanic Americans. By actively engaging with this demographic, healthcare providers are not only improving their bottom lines, but also addressing critical healthcare disparities. This shift isn’t merely about marketing; it’s about equitable healthcare access and the well-being of an entire community, 60 million strong and growing.
The Power of Inclusivity
The era of marketing exclusively to English-speaking audiences is long gone. The future belongs to those who recognize the immense potential of engaging with Spanish-speaking Americans. SNL’s Bad Bunny episode is just one more visible indicator of this trend. It’s time for brands, across all industries, to embrace cultural diversity, leverage the economic power of Hispanic consumers, and contribute to the betterment of the entire nation by ensuring equitable access to essential services like healthcare.
Staying ahead in marketing isn’t just about catching trends. It’s about setting them.
S50 Health is here to help you connect with Spanish-speaking American audiences. The opportunities are vast, and the time to seize them is now.
More about the cultural and advertising impact of Bad Bunny on SNL:
- Bad Bunny Shows Advertisers the Power of Spanglish: Equality – Bloomberg
- Bad Bunny, ‘SNL’ and the Normalization of Spanish in American Pop Culture – Billboard
- SNL Didn’t Need Subtitles – The Atlantic
Scrum50 Partners with Salsify to Offer Best in Class eCommerce Solutions
Leave a CommentWe’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Salsify, the world’s leading product experience management (PXM) platform. Our partnership will allow us to expand our services creating best in class strategy, content and syndication across large eTailers and DTC platforms.
As eCommerce trends begin to surge, it’s crucial for brands to optimize their digital shelf with an eye towards conversion. With this partnership, we’re able to provide solutions that align with your brand’s needs efficiently.
“Salsify has long recognized Scrum50 as being an incredibly agile and effective ecommerce marketing firm,” said Morgan McAlenney, director, strategic alliances at Salsify. “We’re very excited to have Scrum50 be part of Salsify’s larger partner ecosystem and are looking forward to working with them to drive and execute impactful strategies for brands looking to win on the Digital Shelf.”
After building successful eBusiness programs for Mondelēz, Luxury Beauty and Fragrance Players, Gerber, Welch’s, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and more, we’re ready to take on new challenges and bring our content to the next level with this partnership.
About Scrum50
Scrum50 is the first born-agile marketing agency. Our mission is to marry world-class strategic creative with efficiency by embracing agile marketing approaches — employing shorter production sprints managed by uniquely-talented hybrid teams. We focus on three competency areas for clients:Agency Services,eBusiness, and Digital Transformation.
About Salsify
Salsify is the world’s leading Product Experience Management (PXM) platform. We empower brand manufacturers to accelerate digital growth by delivering the product experiences consumers demand anywhere they choose to shop online. Salsify’s platform combines the power of PIM and DAM capabilities, the industry’s broadest commerce ecosystem, and actionable insights to orchestrate compelling product experiences through every digital touchpoint. The world’s biggest brands including Coca-Cola, Bosch, GSK, Rawlings, and Fruit of the Loom use Salsify every day to stand out on the digital shelf. To date, Salsify has raised a total of $98.1 million in funding, led by Greenspring Associates, Underscore VC, Venrock, Matrix Partners and North Bridge.
For more information, please visit: http://www.salsify.com.
Conair Leverages Amazon Prime Day to Launch a Fresh, New Look
Leave a CommentThe heritage brand reinvents itself for savvy eCommerce consumers
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, 7/1/19— Conair is empowering shoppers to “Be the Pro” with their immersive Amazon brand store and bold new image. Launching in time for Prime Day, the brand built on the zeitgeist of “self-care” and blogger culture to roll out new product lines and reintroduce the diverse offerings under the Conair umbrella.
Conair recognized Prime Day as the ideal opportunity to put a fresh foot forward. The brand worked with its eCommerce AOR (Agency of Record), Scrum50 to develop a strategic platform based on Amazon shopper behaviors in the health, beauty and hair fashion appliance categories. “Our strategic and creative approach to driving product conversions can be vastly different based on retailer, category and brand. It’s not a one size fits all” says Stacy Thomson, VP of eBusiness at Scrum50.
“We’ve always been on trend with our innovations. Now we’ll be ahead of the trend when it comes to how customers like to shop,” said Robin Linsley, VP of Marketing at Conair. “The beauty and style industry changes quickly,” Linsley said. “That’s why it’s so important to develop and go live with great ideas at the speed of life.”
The Conair and Scrum50 teams partnered to quickly develop a creative platform, including the design, photography, development and launch of a premium brand store for more than 300 products in less than 90 days. Now they’re at the ready to make a splash on Prime Day.
About Conair
In 1959, Conair built its business on the first “pistol grip” hair dryer—revolutionizing hair care. Today, it’s a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of personal care, grooming, health and beauty products; premium kitchen electrics, tools, and even cookware. www.Conair.com
About Scrum50
Scrum50 is the first-born agile marketing agency combining world-class strategic creative with efficiency. In addition to Conair, Scrum50 has built successful eBusiness programs for Mondelēz, Luxury Beauty and Fragrance Players, Gerber, Welch’s, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and more. www.Scrum50.com
Source: Profitero; 2018 Prime Day sales lift vs average daily sales, Amazon.com
Is Amazon Vendor Central Changing? What You Need to Know
Leave a CommentThe Amazon rumor mill is running at full speed. But more alarming than the usual rumblings of mergers, buy-outs, and robots delivering your orders is one big closer-to-reality story: Amazon is getting ready to eliminate first party sellers.
In early 2019, Amazon sent shockwaves throughout the eCommerce world when it briefly stopped issuing thousands of POs to vendors.[1] The eCommerce giant told those brands to sign up for the brand registry, a move many linked to Amazon’s desire to eliminate vendors that aren’t profitable – especially those that sell low quality of counterfeit goods.[2]
The forecast, reignited by a report from Reuters this week, is that a new One Vendor platform is in the works, combining 1st party and 3rd party capabilities.[3]
But right now, first party sellers and third party sellers on Amazon have completely different platforms for selling and advertising. The core difference? Fulfillment responsibility – who takes on the risks of inventory, pricing, customer service, and shipping – Amazon or Brands. Generally, Amazon absorbs the bulk of the effort for 1P sellers. Naturally, they want all their Vendors to become self-service.
Still struggling with what that means? Let’s lay it out…
| Amazon 1st Party Vendor Central | Amazon 3rd Party Seller Central | Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory & Pricing | Amazon sets price and issues Purchase Orders for wholesale items based on sales, demand, and category considerations. Vendors fill purchase orders and must ensure products are available for purchase on Amazon. | Seller manages inventory and sets price. | There is potential for a significant impact on manufacturing, demand planning and inventory management for 1P vendors, which are traditionally not set up for real-time inventory. |
| Pricing & Fees | 4-10% COOP fees for manufacturers | 15% referral fee paid by seller to Amazon | Any fees paid to Amazon eats into revenue. Price point matters, especially with fulfillment costs in the mix. |
| Fulfillment | Amazon houses, packs and ships inventory. Manufacturers receive chargebacks for incorrect labels or packaging | Fulfilled By Amazon brands need to pay fees to store product and fulfill orders. Drop shipping requires brands to stock, pack, and ship themselves, avoiding fees but shouldering the costs themselves. | Most large brands don’t have drop-shipping capabilities due to volume issues. It can cost millions to adapt, but it will be worth it as online shopping adoption rates skyrocket. |
| Customer Service | Amazon is responsible for handling shipping or customer service issues. | All issues managed by individual sellers. They have the opportunity to communicate directly shoppers | The email capabilities on Seller Central are great for promotions and driving loyalty. There are penalties for not responding quickly to customer service issues (including getting removed from Amazon) |
| Advertising | Access to all Amazon Advertising Tools. | Access to Advertising tools is limited to Sponsored Product and Sponsored Brand ads. | Marketing products and brands can be a huge effort. Smart strategy, fluency in the platforms, and a team of content creators is a must-have for selling on Amazon. |
What Brands Can Do Right Now: Get both 1st Party and 3rd Party Access on Amazon
Sometimes brands have both 1st Party and 3rd Party accounts so they can provide customers with options and inventory that Amazon won’t purchase on the 1st Party side. Brands with their own 3rd Party presence can mitigate resellers denigrating their brand with bad customer experiences.
What does this all mean for mid-sized brands on Amazon in 2019?
Here’s the bottom line: Amazon is going to need more from your brand.
The eCommerce platform will increase their expectations for brands to managing fulfillment, marketing, and manufacturing – without help from Amazon. The burden to fulfill customer’s high shipping expectations will fall squarely on the brands – which could seriously eat into profits. If you don’t have help.
[SOURCES]
1Leigh, Andrea, Vendors snubbed by Amazon’s ordering system – it’s not me, it’s you, LinkedIn Blog, 2019 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vendors-snubbed-amazons-ordering-system-its-me-you-andrea-leigh/
2Milnes, Hilary, Amazon walks back vendor purge as sellers look to reduce dependence on the platform, Digiday Blog, 2019 https://digiday.com/retail/amazon-vendor-purge-sellers-reduce-dependence-platform/
3Soper, Spencer, Amazon Is Poised to Unleash a Long-Feared Purge of Small Suppliers, Bloomberg, 2019 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-28/amazon-is-poised-to-unleash-long-feared-purge-of-small-suppliers?srnd=premium
Know Your Xperience: CX vs. UX, What’s the Difference?
Leave a CommentSteve Jobs once said “Always start with the customer experience, not with the technology.”
Sure…it’s maybe THE mostly commonly quoted quote for CX’ers.
Because it’s true. 73% of all people point to customer experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions.[1]
Digital marketing and technology leaders often focus heavily on User Experience (or UX). No doubt that is a critical piece of designing a good product. But UX and CX are NOT one-in-the-same.
Customer Experience AND User Experience
It’s important to note – It’s never CX instead of UX. User Experience is a subset of the Customer Experience.
User Experience is about the product and how a consumer interacts with it. How to achieve a task with as little friction as possible. It is considered a piece of the over customer experience.
The Customer Experience encompasses the entire end-to-end brand experience – beyond digital, beyond marketing, beyond purchase. Every touchpoint that the user engages with during their journey. It’s any service, employee, representative, collateral, design, website, app, or that the customer interacts with at any stage in their journey before, after, and during purchase. Holistically, these things come together to create an experience.
CX is observable, measurable, and helps our iteration process. We observe the end-to-end customer experience, then pull meaningful conclusions from customer actions. From there, we can manage the experience according to brand objectives.
Plus it pays to pay attention to CX.
Customers Pay for a Good Experience
There is a value for good experiences. Customers would pay up to a 16% price premium on products and services that offer a quality experience.1 In the U.S., 65% of customers find a positive experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising.1
Bringing CX and UX Together
Customer Experience and User Experience work together in a shared goal of creating connected, well designed experience. But UX doesn’t live in a bubble…just as good design or content shouldn’t be created without a strategic approach. You could design the hell out of the website and app, but if you don’t consider other CX touchpoints, you will never impact and improve the customer’s overall experience with your brand.
Putting the Customer First
The Scrum50 approach puts the customer at the center of our strategy. It’s a slightly different mindset than traditional marketing and advertising, which starts with the question “what do we want the audience to do?”
Instead, we ask “What does the consumer need?” This critical shift allows us to drive the experience with a consumer-centric based point of view. It lets us create meaningful experiences. That’s how loyalty and brand affinity are built – through connection, emotions and positive experiences along the customer journey.
The CX approach allow us to consider feedback, intent, and overall satisfaction in conjunction with the typical stats and conversion rates as success factors. It helps us test and learn to design better overall experiences.
The CX Difference
Is your brand considering the end-to-end customer experience? Let’s talk about how our Agile Marketing methods have helped major national brands reach and retain their customers through a holistic view of customer experience.
[1]PwC.com Report, Experience is Everything 2018
5 Reasons You Need an Amazon Agency to Win
Leave a CommentThe sales and marketing worlds are colliding online. It’s a tumultuous and exciting time in your organization, but everyone is scrambling to figure out how to win on Amazon. Suddenly, the executive leadership is demanding significant growth in the eCommerce channel, Amazon didn’t send a PO last week and a brand manager is upset that an old logo is on a product page. Not to mention, there’s a random third party selling expired products and winning the Buy Box. What do you do first?
You’re going to need some help. Because going it alone is tough.
Here are just a handful of reasons partnering with an Amazon agency not only alleviates some of your pressure and workload, but makes the most strategic sense in an eCommerce channel that’s a constant moving target.
How to Sell an Amazon Agency in to Executive Leadership
The only constant on Amazon is change. Some agencies have full teams that just submit tickets, resolve issues, and dig through knowledge bases to solve problems that arise on a daily basis. Why isn’t that gallery image appearing? Why aren’t we winning the Buy Box? How do I create variations on Amazon? Why did a third party hijack my ASIN?
You can’t phone Amazon, but you can phone a friend—the next best thing.
By using an Amazon agency, you have access to a team of people who have already experienced and solved 90% of the issues you face on your own. Searching for solutions by Googling and digging through Amazon forums can get very time consuming. If an Amazon agency doesn’t know the answer, they have the manpower and contacts to quickly resolve a problem so you can focus on other things.
Would you bring your PR, Media or Print campaign work in-house? Just like any other channel, there’s an art and science to winning on Amazon. That’s a lot of responsibility (and pressure) to put on a small in house “eCommerce” team (or often, a single person). From logistics, to product setup, to content, keywords, pricing, and fulfillment, it takes a village to rise to the top.
It’s not enough to just get your product on Amazon. Successful brands on Amazon have internal people or teams that lead eCommerce functions, but have realized that adding an Amazon agency gives them the competitive edge. As a bonus, Amazon agencies save you time and money because they’ve mastered the nuances of the self-service model.
For the same reason that you hire a PR agency or a digital agency, an Amazon or eCommerce agency has the expertise, insights and resources to not just “get your products up on Amazon” but create a digital shelf that impacts the brand and drives sales. It’s been proven that the more (quality) imagery and valuable content provided during the shopping experience significantly impacts conversions.[1]
While your brand or digital agency might have the ability to upload images, they most likely don’t have the experience or understanding of unique Amazon shopper needs in your category. The strategies and tactics used offline (or not on eCommerce) are different, and investing in the right Amazon partner to create best-in-class content will pay dividends.
Before you can create and syndicate great eCommerce content, a manufacturer must ensure their assortment and availability is stable. If you’re a mid-to-large-size company, you’re most likely facing supply chain and inventory management challenges, the rectifying of which is required to win on Amazon. While your Amazon agency focuses on the digital experience, you’ll need to collaborate with sales, logistics, demand planning and last-mile delivery solutions to keep up with the new pull strategies required by Amazon. Do you have the right selection? Are people interested in buying? Can you keep it in stock? Can you get it to the consumer in 48 hours without melting or breaking?[2]
Did we mention Amazon changes every day? A great Amazon agency is already poised for coming changes, and will proactively provide solutions to avoid missteps and beat the competition. You can take advantage of what’s new and now on Amazon…and sometimes capabilities that haven’t even been widely released yet…with an Amazon agency that knows how to push the envelope and pull strings with elusive Amazon reps.
They’re experts on the latest Amazon best practices and can help optimize existing assets for Amazon or even create an Amazon testing environment for a brand, product or campaign. They can assess your ASINS, handle reporting, and provide Amazon success metrics. Amazon agencies at the top of their game possess a deep understanding of how different pieces of the Amazon puzzle click together to bolster clients’ efforts without breaking the bank…or a sweat.
A dedicated Amazon agency can also arm you with thought leadership and forward thinking strategy on a rolling basis in an often confusing and cluttered eCommerce space.
About CT Ad Agency Scrum50, an Amazon Agency that uses One-of-a-Kind Amazon Agile Methodology
Scrum50 is the first born agile advertising agency. Their mission is to marry world-class strategic creative with efficiency by embracing agile marketing approaches — employing shorter production sprints managed by uniquely-talented hybrid teams. They focus on three competency areas for clients: (1) Agency Services, (2) eBusiness, and (3) Digital Transformation.
[1]Lisac-Ramirez, Maria, The Sales Impact of Product Content, Salsify Transformers Blog, 2018 https://www.salsify.com/blog/the-sales-impact-of-product-content
[2]Pull Marketing Strategy, CFI https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/strategy/pull-marketing-strategy/
Creating Killer Conversion-Driving Visual Content on Amazon
Leave a CommentContent is king, right? Right. So it goes without saying that all your visual content in Amazon should be as professional, educational and impactful as possible. If your product doesn’t look good, people will believe with all their heart and soul that it is NOT a good product. Consider Amazon as your most powerful conversion-driving Content marketing platform and make it work for you.
Amazon Visual Content Rules
Get familiar. The eCommerce giant has well-defined image guidelines, and playing by the rules is always rewarded. After all, it’s in both your brand and Amazon’s best interest for images to follow their best practices. Failure to do so often results in death, well the death of ROI. Death of sales, and death of your product page, A+ content, or Brand store going live because it’s not gonna happen without their approval. But with a little creativity, your Amazon enhanced brand content can really sell your story (and a lot of product).
Think Mobile First
Mobile friendly hero images are a must. When creating and managing visual content, think about how your brand pages are going to stack in mobile and think about what will actually show in your header image when it scales down to size. Amazon’s projected share of holiday sales via mobile app in 2018 was 40%, up from 35% in 2017, including $9.4 billion in incremental sales. That percentage includes sales from Vendor Central (sold by Amazon) and Seller Central (marketplace sales by retailers).[1]
Product Image Photography
What’s in the Box?! No, really, show me what’s in the box. Setting customer expectations of what they get is critical to purchase decision and reducing returns. Unboxing videos and clear, beautiful shots of everything you get with your purchase located in the gallery images help to win on Amazon. And anything that is NEW, like “new packaging” or redesigned products, should definitely be showcased as such to clear up confusion as people compare your products to others selling your products on Amazon.
Refresh That Amazon Content
Constantly evolving content is a must for the Amazon environment. Seasonal content refreshes are key to keeping repeat consumers engaged. Let’s face it, people get bored quick these days in an oversaturated eCommerce landscape. Embrace it and keep them coming back for more with the occasional Amazon Listing Optimization. Beyond boredom, the eCommerce giant is constantly changing. Templates change, image sizes change, formats change, and you may not get notified. So you need to be checking those pages and assume adjustments will need to be made (plan for at least 2-3 times a year). It’s also good to have a test and learn approach. Shift placement of visual content, include lifestyle, remove lifestyle, add more color—the best way to win is to make a hypothesis and test it.
Use Lifestyle Imagery on Amazon
Amazon product photos in lifestyle settings are how people relate to your products. Lifestyle is for the living and the living shop and compare on the site. A gorgeous kitchen inspires culinary genius’ to buy your premium pots and pans. That weekend warrior is convinced he (or she) can do that half marathon seeing a picture of those slick cross trainers pounding the pavement. How could she not? The pictures looked amazing. Time to order on Prime because those items will transform you.
Sprinkle in Some Text
Think outside (the first) box. You can’t add text to the main image, but, it can be added to the additional images for each ASIN if used correctly. A smart keyword strategy will always help supplement the visuals and boost your ranking in the site’s search. Scrum50, a leader in Amazon content creation, cites the COS (Content Optimization Score) as a key indicator of conversion opportunity. Among other factors, visual quality and copy content play a large role in its calculation and potential for the ASIN’s success.
Tricks of the Trade
We can’t give you all of our secrets, but we can put them to good use for your brand as your Amazon Marketing Agency or Amazon consultant. Let’s talk about what we can do to make your brand kick ass on the eCommerce giant, deliver effective agile creative and improve your Amazon Ranking. To get more info, contact us today.
[1] Marvin, Ginny, Report: 2018 holiday sales to grow 15%, driven by Amazon and mobile season, Marketing Land, 2018 https://marketingland.com/report-2018-holiday-sales-to-grow-15-driven-by-amazon-and-mobile-248468
Growing Up on Amazon: The Radically Different Way Gen Z Shops
Leave a CommentIf you think the up and coming generation: Gen Z are basically the same as Millennials…you might want to look up from your Avocado toast.
This new posse of tenacious teens and twentysomethings is already poised to take the eCommerce world by storm.
Members of Gen Z are 13–22 years old. 90% have their own phones, they make half their purchases using said phones and 64% say they’re heavily influenced by imagery online when making shopping decisions.[1] They don’t cozy up to brands. They ARE the brand. They’re not idealistic. They’re pragmatic. And they’re not curators. They’re creators.
Perhaps of most interest: Gen Z represents up to $143 billion in buying power, so understanding how they think, shop and consider the world around them is the next silver bullet.
Gen Z & Amazon: The Mall Effect
For Gen Z, going to Amazon to “hang out” is a thing. It’s a place where emotion trumps practicality, insightful content turns a sale, and the “mall effect” makes the Internet shopping giant the hottest place to see and be seen.
Like most shopping malls, Amazon is designed to facilitate the “Gruen Transfer,” or the moment when consumers enter a store and are intentionally surrounded by a confusing layout, which distracts them from their original intentions…priming them for impulse buys.
- They go to Amazon when they’re bored, just to hang out
- They scroll for days because of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
- They get hooked on color…imagining how everything would look with an outfit or in photos for social media (right down to their candy!)
Gen Z & Amazon: Brand Challenges and Solutions
Like every generation, Gen Z comes with its own set of challenges, many of them to do simply with the challenges of youth:
- Consistency of available funds
- Price Point
- Sorting through all the options on Amazon
- Waiting for delivery (vs. going in person)
- Reliant on parents account or funds
Gen Z Phenomenons & How Brands Can Meet Them Halfway
- Understand Ongoing Cart Curation—purchase may not be at the time of discovery. Gen Z are practical and their money isn’t always their own. They constantly browse, adding to their Amazon carts products they may need, products that catch their eye, or products they want to think about before making a final purchase. They are cash-strapped and are usually curating their Amazon cart while waiting for funds to become available. Making it into the Amazon cart is half the battle…making it into the final purchase is the win.[3]
- Craft an Experience—Gen Z are willing to browse until they find something that compliments or enhances who they are, and that helps promote their own brand.
- Show Them What You Can Do For Their Image—Gen Z have a desire to stand out and to be different, but they also need to be accepted and perceived as cool and unique. They’re searching for something no one else has or something they can “discover” that others will want to emulate. Creating unique experiences that help them visualize how your brand enhances their presentation as a person, will help break through the noise on Amazon.
- Prime It and Price It Right—Gen Z are more frugal than Millennials, so while they may be browsing and experiencing all their options, ultimately, they will filter down by Amazon Prime options and price. They are pragmatic and planners—and they want things fast. So while experiences matter…if they filter you out because of the lack of convenience or price is too high, you won’t even be considered.
- Build a Compelling Narrative—Gen Z view brands as representations of their values, an extension of themselves. If they associate with a brand, what does that say about them? Are they part of something bigger than themselves, something cool and unique? They don’t want you to talk at them, they want you to show them who you are and include them as part of the process. Consider your brand presence on Amazon and how you stand out against competitors in the same space. Authenticity, transparency and having a greater purpose are extremely high attributes valued by Gen Z.
- Break Through the Noise—Generation Z are digital natives. This is all they’ve known. They have incredibly short attention spans and are used to making decisions quickly. Add that to an incredibly noisy space of Amazon and their need to browse through everything, and you’ve got one chaotic blizzard of brands clawing over one another. Imagery, colors, showing people they can relate to, prime availability, and price all weigh heavily into your product being findable on Amazon and making it into the Gen Z consideration set.
- Cast a Wider Net—Millennials and GenX know what they want. They search exactly for that thing and get results served up that give us a selection of that thing, which makes a brand’s search strategy easy. If you’re selling sneakers, the search strategy would naturally include shoe-related keywords. But in a Gen Z world, where browsing is life and impulse buys online are the norm—they think about their purchases emotionally. So that same sneaker brand may need to start to look at keywords like “accessories.”
Reach Gen Z with eCommerce Agile Methodology.
Scrum50 is the first born agile marketing agency. Their mission is to marry world-class strategic creative with efficiency by embracing agile marketing approaches—employing shorter production sprints managed by uniquely-talented hybrid teams. They focus on three competency areas for clients: (1) Agency Services, (2) eBusiness, and (3) Digital Transformation.
[1] Generation Z, New insights into the mobile-first mindset of teens, think with Google, 2016 https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/interactive-report/gen-z-a-look-inside-its-mobile-first-mindset/
[2] Generation Z, The Newest Generation, Response Media,
http://www.responsemedia.com/generation-z-the-newest-generation/
[3] Gen Z Amazon Consumer Journey Group Research, Scrum50, 2018
(more…)
Content Marketing is Dead
Leave a CommentContent Marketing as we knew it is dead. The days where you can pack your site full of text-based articles and watch your SEO results soar are gone. And so are the days of coasting by on the strength your brand name alone. Now, a new evolution of Content is more important than ever to your marketing strategy.
Non-branded searches are up 10% year over year.* That means your target audience is less likely to search for your brand – and more likely to search about topics they care about. The key for effective content creation is to find the intersection of what your customer cares about, and where your brand can provide expertise.
Today’s content marketing starts with defining your Authority to Publish. A brand’s Authority to Publish lies at the intersection of what their customer cares about and elements of a brand’s DNA. Here are a few questions you should ask as you improve content marketing efforts – both digital content and traditional content – for your brand.
4 Questions to Help Define Content for Your Brand
What content do my customers care about?
Sure, your customers care about a lot of stuff…so find out where our brand can connect with them. Start with search and SEO. Find out if anyone is actually searching for the topics you want to create content about. Follow trends. Ignoring news coverage and trending topics that relate to your brand could be very damaging.
Is my brand an expert or leader?
Define your brand’s area of expertise, then stick to it. There may be many, many, many topics your brand could use in an editorial calendar and content plan but narrow it down to your zone of expertise.
What content do customers realistically expect from my brand?
This is where that clearly defined zone of expertise really comes into play. Because if you’re a brand of house cleaners and you’re writing content about flower boxes…sorry, but you’re in the wrong sandbox. Customers don’t want to hear from your brand about things that are just barely in your circle of influence.
Where will anyone find this content?
Forgetting about content distribution is a common content strategy mistake. Your content plan needs to work hand-in-hand with your distribution channels. Each piece needs to have social media content supporting it – at the very minimum. And in most cases, paid social media, to get the pump primed.
Keeping Content Creation Effective
Keeping a close eye on your brand’s authority to publish is critical to creating effective content. There’s no sense in cranking out content for the sake of cranking out content. In today’s content marketing model, digital content needs to drive search, sales, awareness, and handle some reputation management – all at once. If you keep within a focused zone of expertise, your content will be much more effective.
* L2 Think Tank, Brand is Not Enough March 14, 2019
Mondelēz International Names Scrum50 its eCommerce Agency of Record
Leave a CommentSOUTH NORWALK, CT – Pioneer agile marketing agency Scrum50 has been awarded eCommerce Agency and Amazon Agency of Record (AOR) status for global consumer packaged goods company Mondelēz International, leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, and candy, with brands such as OREO, Ritz, Chips Ahoy!, Belvita, Halls, Trident, Cadbury. The partnership solidifies Scrum50’s highly-regarded credentials in eCommerce, and specifically the Amazon marketplace, where many brands are struggling to keep pace with commerce platform and its many intricacies.
The AOR distinction was awarded after a series of successful 2018 projects together—including Amazon-specific Trident Vibes launch and seasonal Back-to-School/Halloween programs for Multi-Pack snacks, OREO, Sour Patch Kids, and Swedish Fish.
“In our relatively short time working together, Scrum50 has demonstrated a command of the Amazon landscape, delivered thoughtful, insight-driven creative, then executed efficiently through their agile approach,” said Chris Butler, Head of eCommerce NA at Mondelēz International “Our eCommerce channel has grown share in very competitive categories and seasons much quicker than anticipated thanks to Scrum50’s strategy and support.”
Setting Brands Up for Success in Amazon
In addition to their work for Mondelēz, Scrum50 has built successful eBusiness programs for Luxury Beauty and Fragrance, Gerber Naturals Baby Formula, Conair, Welch’s, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and more.
“Our eCommerce success relies specifically on the category and shopper insights we develop together in partnership with our clients so that we can fully understand what makes them tick and then deliver that messaging and creative directly to them.” Says Stacy Thomson, VP of eBusiness for Scrum50, who leads the charge in client growth on the ebusiness side. “Our clients overall have found success through our work on their Amazon platform with our expertise and strategy from product details pages with custom content, to brand stores and display units.”
Press and Insights About the Scrum50 and Mondelēz International eCommerce Partnership
Originally published in: Marketing Dive
Naming Scrum50 as its designated e-commerce AOR points to how important e-commerce is becoming for Mondelez as well as for the consumer packaged goods sector more broadly. Mondelez said the agency was selected for its expertise in Amazon marketplace as evidenced in past efforts. Mondelez is clearly working to ramp up e-commerce across its brands as consumers, especially millennials, do more of their grocery shopping online. Amazon commands 30% of online grocery spending in the U.S., according to a Brick Meets Click survey cited by Supermarket News. P&G has also been pushing aggressively into e-commerce with new packaging, acquisitions and key partnerships and other marketers in this sector are similarly focused on establishing closer relationships with consumers through online sales.
Teaming up with Scrum50 will allow Mondelez to tap into a trove of product category and shopper insights that can help the company better understand its consumer base and deliver more personalized messaging. The news comes as Mondelez has already been bringing an e-commerce element to recent marketing campaigns.
Pickups also appeared in: AdAge and MediaPost.
What is eCommerce Agile Methodology? About CT Ad Agency Scrum50
Scrum50 is the first born agile marketing agency. Their mission is to marry world-class strategic creative with efficiency by embracing agile marketing approaches — employing shorter production sprints managed by uniquely-talented hybrid teams. They focus on three competency areas for clients: (1) Agency Services, (2) eBusiness, and (3) Digital Transformation.
Scrum50 named to Ad Age Best Place to Work List
Leave a CommentYes! Scrum50 is #14 on the Ad Age Best Places to Work list. We’re honored and proud. It means our culture of doing isn’t just productive, but it’s fulfilling for our employees too.
The Ad Age list is based on survey results from both employers and employees. It take all the usual stuff into account – compensation, perks, etc. – but also opportunities for advancement, diversity, responsiveness to issues…all those things that make people feel good about where they work.
We started from scratch – 2 guys and an idea for a marketing agency that just might be crazy enough to work. So we started the first born-Agile marketing agency back in 2014. Now we’re growing…and fast.
From our renovated factory space in South Norwalk, CT, we’re changing the way digital marketing agencies work. Our philosophy is faster better brilliance. It means we like to bring great ideas to life and test them in-market (instead of letting them fade due to over-discussion and over-crafting). Our teams are lean, and made up of multi-talented, multi-faceted polymaths who are encouraged to work beyond their titles.
Getting on this list proves that we haven’t just built a company, but a culture that lets our employees feel free to show off their unique talents, make an impact, and go to work in a great space with great people.
Want to come work with us? Let’s talk.
Scrum50 Takes Home the Gold at PRO Awards for Beech-Nut Campaign
Leave a CommentScrum50 was recently awarded a top honor from the 2018 PRO Awards for its 360-degree Beech-Nut Real Food for Babies Turn the Labels Around Campaign.
The win, a GOLD award for Best Cross-Channel Engagement, is the next in a run of accolades for the campaign—which included several TV Spots, an impactful Online Anthem Video, Social Media Activation, Digital Banners, Print Ads, Radio Placements and more.
“Turn the Labels Around” was built around proprietary market testing which revealed that what mothers feed their babies is just as much an emotional decision as it is functional. With nationwide “mom shaming” at the forefront in pop culture (from celebrities to social media), the combination of insight and timing was a winning one.
The campaign had a halo effect, boosting sales significantly and creating positive brand awareness and sentiment.
Scrum50 credits its unique Agile Methodology and an A-team of agency polymaths for its successes.
Cross-Channel Engagement
Winners are selected from 30 categories by a panel of senior-level brand and agency promotion marketing experts. Over 1,000 entries were submitted from around the globe; winning campaigns were named the best of the best due to their demonstration of clear strategic thinking and their success in reaching the target audience.
See the full list of the 2018 winners here.
6 Reasons Not to Ignore Amazon As a Content Platform
Leave a CommentThough Amazon is a behemoth on its own, at the end of the day it’s really no different than any other marketing effort when it comes to content strategy. Visuals must be thoughtfully designed. Copy needs to mean something. But what you might not be considering is that your search engine strategy and Amazon search strategy should complement one other.
You might be saying to yourself right now, “But no one goes to Amazon for CONTENT. They go to shop!” You, my friend, would be wrong. Amazon actually represents the #1 opportunity for content marketing at this present moment as 64% of Americans have Amazon Prime and 55% begin their product searches on Amazon. (And you know what they say about first impressions).
In this blog, I’ll show you six reasons why Amazon cannot be ignored as a content platform and how to begin your strategy today.
1. Brand Building Starts Here
Thanks to newly redesigned Brand Stores, brands can get excited about a unique, dynamic, and more visually-driven chance to meet consumers where they are. Think browsing magazine-worthy imagery, comparing features and pricing, and getting drawn in by the brand’s DNA. Plus, it not only helps you create another entry point for your brand by capturing consumers you might not otherwise reach, but it allows you to protect your brand reputation by controlling the quality of your marketing efforts. The flexible templates also provide a rich canvas to showcase content that completes the story around a brand and its products.And it’s already proving itself. Our clients have seen sale increases in less than 6 months thanks to these content-rich brand stores. Cha-ching!”
2. You Can Take Advantage of the Rabbit Hole
Similar to the “Target Effect,” there is certainly an “Amazon Effect.” You go in for one thing, you come out with a cartful of items you never knew you needed. Brands can maximize potential customer’s ‘browsing and buying’ mindsets by presenting them with relevant content at just the right moment. Sometimes that moment occurs when a customer is considering one of your competitors.
3. Easily Editable Format Lets You Tailor Content
Personalities and motivations to shop are different for all potential consumers. Amazon’s flexibility allows you to develop and design content that closely aligns with these unique need states (and to change them on the fly if needed). If you think about mapping the “Amazon Effect” against the classic marketing funnel, “search” typically falls within in the TOFU stage, and “reviews” within the MOFU/BOFU stage. The way people shop and browse is fluid. So, you’ll want to hit them wherever they are in the funnel at any given moment for maximum impact.
4. It Bumps You Up in Search (and Trust)
If you Google “toothbrush,” you’ll get a search engine results page brimming with listings. Among those will be manufacturer’s listings (brands promoting and selling their own products) and Amazon listings. Then perhaps more Amazon listings in several content-based forms (e.g. best sellers, top rated, most wished for, hot new releases).
Plus, you know that on Amazon you’ll have instant access to thousands of reviews, similar products that you can compare easily, and perhaps even have free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime. Which listing would you click first? Likely the one that feels more like a neutral third party versus name brands hocking their own goods. Most consumers feel the same way. They inherently trust Amazon listings more. If that’s not convincing enough, even at the most basic level, having keyword-rich and interesting content on Amazon automatically gets you ranked higher in search engine algorithms. In other words, you can’t win if you don’t play. In fact, according to Consumer Affairs, 70% of consumers trust reviews from people they’ve never even met more than brand statements
5. You Can Kill Three Birds With One Stone to Drive Sales
Awareness, consideration, and authenticity—three key objectives for most brands that traditionally can only be accomplished in store—can be addressed in Amazon with the proper presence and content. Conversely, Amazon can help amplify in-store efforts against these same objectives by providing a way for consumers to scan packaging, get detailed information and reviews, or ask questions right at shelf with the platform’s mobile app.
6. Address Purchase Barriers and Consumer Feedback in Real Time
Consumers head to Amazon to really understand the nuts and bolts of a product, providing a rich opportunity for research gathering. Anything can inspire content: reviews, questions, problems, behaviors. It’s all fair game. And in using such inputs as impetus, you can solve issues and continue to build your brand, filling unexpected gaps in marketing efforts. That includes talking to consumers at a deeper level than even your brand’s website can go. This type of dual-functioning content can help not only online, but also has a halo effect on brick and mortar sales.
Amazon should be the bakery-fresh bread to your peanut butter and jelly. Aligning with your brand’s overall content strategy is key so that complementary Amazon content feels like part of the larger ecosystem. Everything needs to feel like it goes together. The bottom line? As a content platform, Amazon is a new package for some of the things you already do, and a testing ground to try something different when it makes sense…like a scoop of delicious marshmallow fluff, perhaps.
Have you implemented Amazon as a content strategy for your business? What results have you seen from these efforts? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments. Let’s keep the discussion going.
Why Content Strategy is Key When It Comes to Corporate Responsibility
Leave a CommentMost big companies produce Corporate Social Responsibility Reports or Corporate Sustainability Reports (CSRs) detailing their efforts and future goals in corporate responsibility, to the tune of 85%. But only 17% of their intended audience are actually reading them.
And, that’s precisely what makes CSRs such a huge opportunity.
One study showed that when it’s done right, Corporate Responsibility can increase a company’s revenue by up to 20%. To get there, however, the traditional way CSRs are developed and presented must be turned on its head. Engaging key stakeholders in the Information Age involves making your data clear, concise and…well… engaging. Here’s why:
Stakeholders of all levels have equally short attention spans
There is a widely held notion that stakeholders aren’t like the general population and live for poring over long, complex tomes. Not true! (spoiler alert: they’re just like us). Making dense topics into scannable, digestible content isn’t just an art form. It’s a necessity. Everyone can reap the benefits of a beautifully animated chart, elegant video, or well-designed infographic over reams of text.
Readers want to understand your story
Storytelling is an important pillar of content strategy. Your CSR is a perfect place to lead stakeholders down a semi-linear path of discovery and hang onto them until the end. Why? So they get a clear picture of the values and aspirations of the company, and can feel good about attaching themselves to it. They need to be invested to invest. And a laundry list of your organization’s achievements just won’t cut it.
Delivering the right content at the right time is critical
Figure out the most universally impactful points and pull them forward, in thoughtful order, as “tapas” to be consumed and shared. Then, if your readers are still hungry, they can get all the details…or move on to the next course.
Here at Scrum50, our team of agile marketers are seasoned at taking complex, technical narratives and distilling it into experiences that readers engage with, learn from, and share. Check out our latest work with the NHL or Xerox for example. Like what you see? Contact us.
Scrum50 Founder Mike LeBeau Named to NY Festivals Advertising Awards Grand Jury
Leave a CommentScrum50 is thrilled to announce that Founder and Managing Partner, Mike LeBeau will judge the 2018 NY Festivals® Advertising Awards as part of the show’s prestigious Grand Jury.
New York Festivals International Advertising Awards® honors advertising excellence through 20 competitions in all media from 80+ countries and represents the full spectrum of today’s advertising communications: Activation/Engagement, Audio, Avant-Garde/Innovation, Branded Entertainment, Creative Marketing Effectiveness, Design, Digital, Direct & Collateral, Film & Film Craft, Integrated Media Campaign, Media, Mobile, Outdoor /Out of Home, Package & Product Design, Print, Public & Media Relations, Public Service Announcements, Sports and Student.
The NYF International Advertising Awards has the largest, most creative international jury and judging system in the world. The Grand Jury, conducted online, evaluates all entries to determine the Finalists. The Finalists are then judged by the Executive Jury, known as the “Dream Team” – an exclusive group of prominent worldwide Chief Creative Officers from the world’s top advertising agencies. This elite group comes together for five days of live judging to determine the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Place Winners, the Grand Winners, as well as the one entry worthy of being named the Best of Show.
The 2018 New York Show℠ will be held at the renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City.
New York Festivals® celebrates the World’s Best Creative Communications. Our internationally renowned award-winning judges review submissions in the most current and relevant categories to award creativity across all media.
Scrum50 Wins MarCom Award For CLEAN Perfume Social Media
Leave a CommentScrum50 was recently awarded a top honor from The 2017 MarCom Awards for its work on CLEAN Perfume.
The win, an HONORABLE MENTION for Instagram, is the first for the 3-year-old agency who credits Agile Methodology and an A-team of agency polymaths for its out-of-the-gate success.
Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.
AMCP (Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals) is the industry’s preeminent third-party evaluator of creative work. The organization has judged over 200,000 entries since its formation in 1994.
See the full list of the 2017 winners here.
MarCom is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious creative competitions in the world. MarCom is sponsored and judged by the AMCP, a 23-year-old international organization consisting of several thousand creative professionals. As part of its mission, AMCP fosters and supports the efforts of creative professionals who contribute their unique talents to public service and community organizations. Over the past few years, AMCP has given over $250,000 in charitable contributions.
Scrum50 Wins Top MarCom Awards For Beech-Nut Campaigns
Leave a CommentScrum50 was recently awarded 5 top honors from The 2017 MarCom Awards for its Beech-Nut Real Food for Babies Turn the Labels Around Campaign.
The wins, which include 1 PLATINUM award, 3 GOLD awards and 1 HONORABLE MENTION, are the first for the 3-year-old agency who credits Agile Methodology and an A-team of agency polymaths for its out-of-the-gate success.
Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.
AMCP (Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals) is the industry’s preeminent third-party evaluator of creative work. The organization has judged over 200,000 entries since its formation in 1994.
See the full list of the 2017 winners here.
MarCom is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious creative competitions in the world. MarCom is sponsored and judged by the AMCP, a 23-year-old international organization consisting of several thousand creative professionals. As part of its mission, AMCP fosters and supports the efforts of creative professionals who contribute their unique talents to public service and community organizations. Over the past few years, AMCP has given over $250,000 in charitable contributions.
The Agency Sweet Spot: Why We Want to Keep Scrum50 Small
Leave a CommentBy Michael LeBeau, Chris Parker & Jennifer Miller
Here at Scrum50, we very purposely chose our name to coincide with our thought process about our agency’s goals and objectives. You probably picked up on the rugby huddle reference with our Agile culture, but why the 50 after it? We think that 50 is the sweet spot for our small agency. 50 employees, specifically. After three years in business, we’re 25 people strong, and on track to what we believe is a critical point in our agency’s growth. As founders, we’ve been through it all at previous companies –agencies with just a few people, agencies that grew into hundreds of people, and everywhere in between. We’re confident that 50 is the ideal number, and here’s why:
Personal Touch
We love personally knowing each and every one of our clients. We know who our customers are and we WANT to be involved in their business directly. The founders play a significant, active role in the agency and client business, which is important to our agency philosophy. We want to have that personal touch at every level, which we believe allows for our clients to get the very best service — the benefit of having senior level thinking for all accounts.
Strong Culture
When starting up Scrum50, we wanted our internal group of employees to feel like a team and have a true level of closeness. We wanted everyone to know each other — not just know of each other, but really build a close comradery that results in a thriving culture of happy employees. It also builds internal trust, allowing for quicker “short-hand” as the teams work through projects. Ultimately, we want our employees to thrive and provide the best work possible for our clients through a strong workplace environment.
High-Level Thinking
We believe that a small agency setting is the best place to grow new ideas and bring them to fruition. Because everyone in our agency organically knows what is going on with our different clients, we often find teams sharing ideas or suggestions being passed along. In brainstorming, we’ve also found that smaller teams deliver breakthrough thinking, while big groups, bogged down by too many cooks in the kitchen, tend to produce ideas that are more vanilla.
Superior Work
With small agency teams like ours, we have experts in every level and have brought together some great minds. Together, co-workers have a healthy competitive edge between each other, but not a destructive one. Everyone works towards common goals and has a collective role in our achievements. At this level, we get the best work out of the staff and they feel as though their work is being valued by the rest of the team.
Flexibility
An agency must be able to pivot easily when needed, an idea that goes along nicely with our Agile mindset. With a team of 50, shifting gears and changing our process is immediate, because we don’t have to go up the ladder at each level to make decisions. Keeping our team small provides the flexibility we need to keep our Agile systems in place and service our clients with whatever they need at the highest level.
Speed
Another key element to our Agile philosophy is speed — again, made possible with our small team. We want to work as fast as we can without those layers of hierarchy. We are nimble and faster and can get our great ideas to market quickly and efficiently.
Our size is an integral part of our vision, not the result of any circumstance. By keeping Scrum50 in the realm of a smallish agency, we provide the most superior end results and work for our clients, while also creating the best work environment for our staff. To use common big agency lingo, “It’s Win-Win.” And… we promise never to do that again.
Check out our feature in the Ad Age Small Agency Guide!