Marketing Insights - Edition 01 - May 26, 2020

Welcome. This is my first edition of Marketing Insights - a highly curated list of this week’s most relevant marketing news and insights. Please forward to your friends, and I welcome your feedback. Questions or content ideas? Email me direct at carey@careyvanwagoner.com.

15. The number of new courses Facebook launched this week. As explained by Facebook:

"As businesses around the world are shifting their focus online, many are wondering where to start. To help with this transition, our business education program, Facebook Blueprint, launched 15 new courses that cover the fundamentals. As always, our Blueprint courses are free, and we’ve made lessons even more straightforward, putting concepts into context with storytelling and offering downloadable materials to help bring what you learn to life."

View the full list of new courses on the Blueprint platform.

McKinsey and Co. Customer Sentiment Survey. Behavior changes due to COVID-19 are likely to stick.

As COVID-19 progresses and some regions begin to reopen, US consumer sentiment is mixed, with many consumers unsure of the future. The next normal is beginning to emerge, and consumers indicate some of their behavioral changes may stick over the long term.

Consumers are starting to adopt new behaviors, including shopping on new websites for basics, shopping at new grocery stores, trying restaurant and store curbside pickup, getting groceries delivered, using telemedicine, and trying videoconferencing for professional or personal reasons. There are several additional categories where consumers are increasing their participation, such as entertainment streaming and quick-service restaurant drive-thru.

Read the full report here.

Facebook launches Shops a mobile-first shopping experience where businesses can easily create an online store on Facebook and Instagram for free. COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg says that 140 million small businesses use Facebook's products, and that one in three businesses in the U.S. don’t have a website. Many of those use a Facebook or Instagram page as their primary way of connecting with customers online. Allowing them to sell directly on Facebook is a logical next step.  Visit Shops here.

Crayola. Crayola announced it’s newest product this week - colors of the world skin tone crayons. The 135 year old arts and crafts behemoth developed 24 new "Colors of the World" crayons designed to represent over 40 skin tones across the world, said the company in a press release.

Crayola announced the new crayons in conjunction with UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. 

"With the world growing more diverse than ever before, Crayola hopes our new Colors of the World crayons will increase representation and foster a greater sense of belonging and acceptance," said Crayola CEO Rich Wuerthele in the release. "We want the new Colors of the World crayons to advance inclusion within creativity and impact how kids express themselves." Pre-order here.

Reddit is hosting a new, online advertising school program, which will enable participants to learn from industry professionals, and submit work for assessment by the broader Reddit advertising community.

Reddit's Ad School will cover a range of key elements, including copywriting, PR and social media marketing. Apply to become a student here.

Drift’s 2020 Marketing Leadership Benchmark Report. What does the future of marketing look like? What challenges do marketing teams face today? This report has data and insights from surveys of over 130 marketing leaders from across industries. Download The Insights

Adweek & Snapchat Virtual Series. Facing the Future together. Snapchat’s three-part series with Adweek features leading marketers in the financial services space. Monetary concerns are top of mind for consumers in such a volatile economy. How can these financial brands assist individuals in building a financially savvy future? Join this discussion to learn more.

Book recommendation of the week. Faster. Smarter. Louder: Master Attention in a Noisy Digital Market. In today’s online world, a brand’s success lies in combining technological planning and social strategies to draw customers in—and keep them coming back for more. Without a strong digital platform, time and money are wasted, content sits unnoticed, and prospective clients disappear. Fortunately, two seasoned digital marketers have a plan to make your brand succeed.  

This book is easy to read and has actionable items to help you grow your business. A must read.

Cheers! See you next Tuesday. -Carey