Woke-washing: how brands are cashing in on the culture wars

Image: Natallia Khlapushyna/Alamy

From M&S’s LGBT sandwich to Kendall Jenner stopping a riot with a Pepsi can, corporate business is adept at adopting our concerns. But is it all a cynical marketing ploy?

from the webALHAUSMay 29, 2019branding, advertising

These ads think they know you

Illustration by Alexis Beauclair

Nearly every ad you see online is tailored just for you. These digital ads are powered by vast, hidden datasets that allow advertisers to make eerily accurate guesses about who you are, where you’ve been, how you feel and what you might do next.

from the webALHAUSMay 1, 2019advertising, content, privacy, targeted advertising

Will advertisers of the future need to pay consumers to see ads?

Image: Gener8's menu for ad selection | Gener8

A major concern facing digital advertising today is how to balance privacy concerns with sending consumers messages that are relevant to them. While relevant messages are important, many consumers are simultaneously becoming increasingly concerned about the use of merged databases.

from the webALHAUSApril 3, 2019advertising, consumers, marketing, privacy

How to make branded podcasts that pop

Recent standouts have given marketers a playbook for how to get users to tune in. Brands should approach podcasting like community outreach, not advertising.

from the webALHAUSMarch 6, 2019podcasts, branding, advertising

Are brands behind the times when it comes to gender stereotypes in ads?

Though many marketers believe they avoid gender stereotypes when creating advertising, according to a global survey detailed in a Kantar report, researchers noted that ad targeting is still extremely skewed within specific product categories.

from the webAlison OByrneJanuary 30, 2019branding, advertising

Raising a glass to green Millennials: Diageo preps sustainable branding push

Image: Diageo

Newly appointed chief sustainability officer David Cutter promises 2019 will see the drinks giant promote low-carbon activity with suppliers and customers.

from the webAlison OByrneJanuary 9, 2019sustainability, branding, advertising

Top 10 native advertising trends for 2019

Key trends in native advertising will be an influence on all aspects of digital in the next 12-18 months. It is predicted that the digital advertising market is set to grow from $15bn in 2019 to $85bn by 2020, with Native advertising at the forefront.

from the webAlison OByrneNovember 14, 2018advertising, native advertising, 2019 trends

Print magazines get away with ads that Instagrammers can’t

The norms for ads on Instagram, YouTube, and the rest are not set in stone yet. The playing field is constantly shifting.

from the webAlison OByrneOctober 25, 2018publishing, advertising, print, magazine

There are still way too many women doing laundry in advertisements

A new survey by The Female Quotient and Ipsos finds marketers aren’t doing a good enough job in reflecting the diversity of real life.

from the webAlison OByrneOctober 10, 2018advertising, marketing

The top five most creative brand ideas you need to know about now

Ad Age's top five most innovative creative ideas of the week, featuring HBO, We Are Social and more.

from the webAlison OByrneOctober 4, 2018advertising, branding, marketing

Ads We Like: Boots bucks beauty trends with 'faceless' non-professional models

Boots has decided to turn the traditional cosmetic ad on its head with a campaign that promotes how beauty makes people feel, not how it makes them look.

from the webAlison OByrneSeptember 21, 2018advertising

How to take a content-first approach when telling your brand's story

Today, media is pulled, not pushed. And if you’re a marketer who wants your content to be consumed, it better be good, relevant and valuable. That goes double for advertising.

from the webAlison OByrneSeptember 10, 2018content, advertising