Bi-Weekly News Digest on Digital Marketing – 1/08/21

Share:

Attack on the Capitol, Facebook Advertising, COVID and Amazon Updates – The Impact on the Retail Industry

2020 has finally bid us farewell. In 2021, though the pandemic continues, the U.S. is preparing to usher in a new administration. Unfortunately, this week’s events have threatened the hallmark of our democracy – the peaceful transfer of power. 

At the moment, political turbulence has affected marketing for some brands, digital channels have had some internal issues, COVID shopping shifts carry on, and Amazon is expanding its delivery fleet. As current events affect ecommerce and digital marketing, Adlucent is ready to assist partners in adjusting strategies as needed. To stay on top of the latest news, sign up for our email newsletter.

Brands Pull Back on Marketing Following Pro-Trump Mob Attack on Capitol – Marketing Dive

Some brands have chosen to pause social media and TV ads amidst the political upheaval and attack on the capitol in Washington to mitigate the risk of their ads being shown alongside disturbing news and potentially being shown in a negative light. 

Brand safety and social justice activism through cause marketing have been key topics for companies to navigate over the past year, and 2021 has brought no exceptions. Now, as much as ever, consumers are expecting brands to face these situations with authentic communication – neither shutting down content entirely nor virtue signaling or striking a tone-deaf message.

Facebook Managers Trash Their Own Ad Targeting in Unsealed Remarks– The Intercept

Internal communications show managers at Facebook admitting to ad targeting flaws. The messages emerged from a lawsuit whereby a company alleged that its targeting criterion was not met by Facebook. The complaint alleges that Facebook knew its ad targeting underperformed and has been overhyped. Also, records in the lawsuit cite FB managers as stating that targeting data and accuracy were “abysmal.” Facebook responded in court documents by saying the information was taken out of context.

4 COVID Shopping Trends That Will Outlive the Pandemic  – The Wise Marketer

The pandemic spawned certain shopping behavioral changes that could become life-long. Here are some of the trends expected to stick around:

• Seniors have been forced to adapt to retail technologies like tele-health and online shopping and, in turn, have become savvier.
• Only a fraction of workers plan to return to the workplace soon. This lack of commute has disrupted some specific-time marketing methods, namely at supermarkets.
• Shortages and financial considerations have led many consumers to try out and shift to new brands.
• Physical and mental fitness were in focus as the pandemic redefined wellness. For example, exercise equipment, mindfulness apps, and healthy snacks have been on the rise.

Facebook Advertising & iOS14 – Guidance & Actions for Business Owners & Marketers – Depesh Mandalia

In June, Apple made changes to iOS 14 to help protect user data and privacy via its AppTracking Transparency (ATT) framework. iOS 14 is rolling out now, but the impact may be felt mid-2021 once most Apple users upgrade. The update, which requires users to opt-in for user data to be tracked and collected on mobile devices, will affect all mobile apps, including Facebook. Thus, advertisers on platforms like Facebook have three main concerns stemming from the lack of user-level data: how to retarget, how to effectively track campaign performance, and understanding the effectiveness of top-of-funnel audience targeting. Some actions to alleviate these concerns include: prepare for less accurate Facebook data, create assumptions to fill in blanks, and track multichannel behavior using tools. Also, determine strategic multichannel approaches and marketing campaigns.

Amazon Buys 11 Planes to Boost Airfreight Capacity – Retail Dive

Amazon will soon have a mix of leased and purchased aircraft as it expands its airfreight, Amazon Air. By purchasing eleven Boeing 767-300 planes, Amazon will better address its shipping demands. Amazon will add the airplanes over the next two years; four planes will fly this year, and the other seven (purchased from Delta) will start flights next year. Furthermore, Amazon Air is projected to grow to 200 planes by 2027, and this growth will lessen Amazon’s dependency on third-parties to deliver its inventory.

These articles covered a few key pieces of industry news as COVID, political turmoil, and other causes continue to affect business nationwide. Visit the Adlucent website for ongoing information and updates on marketing, ecommerce, and retail.

Adlucent

Adlucent is the performance marketing agency that proves outperformance has no limit. Powered by our purpose-built platform, Deep Search™, Adlucent unifies the best of human and machine for a scientific approach to marketing. We work transparently in partnership with B2C and B2B retailers and brands to create custom, predictive programs that drive ever-better outcomes. Our services include paid search, shopping, social, retail media networks, display media, video, performance creative, consulting, and measurement. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Adlucent is part of Advantage Solutions and ranked one of the top marketing companies in the U.S. by AdAge.