June 2022 News You Can Use: Communications

ARE QR CODES THE FUTURE OF CREATIVE ADVERTISING?

Topic: Advertising | ANA

Woman relaxing on the couch at home and watching football on TV

Key Point: The no-context QR code ad that Coinbase ran during the 2022 Super Bowl sent more traffic to the company than their app could handle. Here’s one reason why: 79% of TV viewers turn to their phones during commercial breaks — and a smartphone is the perfect way to capture QR codes.

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) says TV ad engagement can be boosted 10 times with the right strategy. The trick is to create ads that are as engaging as the content on television.

Super Bowl advertisers (and any other company dishing out ad spend) will find this article full of food for thought.

DISCUSSION IDEAS: Many Super Bowl ads are tough to get a grip on. Why do companies opt for the “figure out what I’m selling” approach to ad creation? What would the ANA article suggest advertisers do instead?

[Tweet: “Are #QR codes the future of advertising? Super Bowl 2022 proved the strange-looking symbols are powerful when used correctly.”]

TRADEMARKS AND THE METAVERSE: THREE MUST-ASK QUESTIONS

Topic: Legal Issues

The word ‘metaverse’ spelled out in wooden blocks

Key Point: Have you yet staked your claim in the Metaverse? The lure of virtual reality is pulling many, many companies in that direction. Like gold miners heading for the hills to find their fortunes, businesses large and small are trying to position themselves in the right spot to capture the hoards of consumers they believe are sure to become Metaverse citizens.

Writer Peter Cramer partnered with attorney Jonathan Mollod to propose three tough and pertinent questions every company should consider before doing business in 3D:

  • At what point does the First Amendment step in to protect trademarks? 
  • When do trademarks for virtual goods and services infringe on trademarks for physical goods and services?
  • When do NFTs require a license from the trademark owner?

Get the scoop on these perplexities and kick off an excellent discussion about the potential dangers lurking in the Metaverse by reading this article and giving the topic some careful thought.

[Tweet: “3 critical questions every marketer should ask about the #Metaverse.”]

40.5% SURGE IN OUTDOOR AD SPEND FOR Q1 2022

Topic: Outdoor Advertising | OAAA

Large billboards near the highway transportation hub

Key Point: Data from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) says year-over-year outdoor ad revenue jumped 40.5% during the first quarter of 2022. Even given the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on outdoor ads, that’s still an impressive move upwards.

List of the top 10 out-of-home (OOH) advertisers, ranked by dollars spent:

  1. Apple
  2. Capital One
  3. McDonald’s
  4. Netflix
  5. HBO
  6. American Express
  7. Amazon
  8. AT&T
  9. Verizon
  10. Universal Pictures

OAAA president, Anna Berger, says “The overwhelming majority of top OOH advertisers increased their spend in Q1 2022 from the same timeframe last year — with nearly half of those marketers spending more than double.”

Will the trend continue, or is it simply a result of pandemic fears subsiding?

DISCUSSION IDEAS: Does this article point to a trend that’s likely to continue, or is the rebound in OOH ad spend simply a COVID-19 phenomenon?

[Tweet: “Out-of-home (OOH) advertisers spent 40.5% more in the first quarter of 2022 as they did the same period last year. Why?”]

USING VIDEO AND VOICE TO BOOST CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS

Topic: Marketing Communications

Young Asian businesswoman using her laptop to talk to colleagues in video call meeting while working from home in her living room.

Key Point: Vonage Research says consumer preference for connecting with a company via video is up 300% since January 2020. Technological advances and a consumer desire for “human” relationships with businesses are cited as the primary drivers.

Customer support functions, for instance, lend themselves well to moving away from text and toward video or voice communications. Customers feel better understood and more appreciated when they can see who is helping them solve problems.

Even moving to voice-only communications seems desirable. HubSpot research says 69% of customers prefer talking over the phone versus getting the help and information they need via chat and other channels.

Find out about the future of communication and discover other areas of business where video and voice are drawing stellar results in this thought-provoking article from Forbes. 

[Tweet: “Video and voice communications are tromping chat and other channels. Why?”]

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