Raffi's Round Up - w/c 11th Nov 2024
The five best Marketing-related nuggets across my desk this week
Welcome to the latest edition of my weekly Round Up!
Here are the five best Marketing-related nuggets that came across my desk this week:
ONE (if you (somehow!) want more on the US election, read this one)
Was it the “Elon Musk” election? Was it the “income inequality” election? This piece proposes that it was, in fact, the “podcast” election. Tracing a neat path from the 30s, we learn of FDR “[who] understood the power of radio and connected with the American people through his fireside chats”, and then of the 60s, in which “Kennedy understood the power of television and utilized it to communicate his messages, appearing fit and immaculate every time he was on camera.” The authors argue that podcasts are the latest in that lineage. I’m bullish on the podcast format, especially now that it’s dovetailing with the rise of YouTube.
TWO (if you’ve noticed the number of ads on Netflix, read this one)
According to Variety, over half of sign-ups to Netflix are now thanks to their ad-supported tier; with a total of 70 million ad-supported subscribers worldwide. It’s an impressive turnaround for a company once committed to never running them. 2024, as I’ve argued, was the year in which everything has become a media network. But not all media networks are created equal… The sleeping giant? Keep an eye on the Golden Arches: McDonald’s wants to add 100 million active users to its loyalty program by 2027.
THREE (if you’re looking for a new obsession, read this one)
Mark Frauenfelder co-runs a worthwhile newsletter that curates bits and bobs from all over the media, entertainment, personal gadget and life-hack landscape. In a recent post, he shared a gem: “Tom Rosenthal wanders London's parks with a simple mission: find someone sitting alone on a bench and ask if they'll chat for his podcast, his podcast Strangers on a Bench.”
It’s one of those rare crazy ideas that works out in reality and makes reality seem quite incredible.
As Frauenfelder puts it, “[Rosenthal] keeps his guests anonymous - no names, no workplaces. Listening to a few episodes hammered home the realization that there's no such thing as an ordinary life.
FOUR (if you’re curious about the growth in “Athleisure”, read this one)
I love the journey that CMO of Vuori has been on:
“In the fitting rooms of the GAP outlet store Destin, Florida in the early '90s, a young college student was unknowingly laying the foundation for her future career as a CMO. As Karen Riley-Grant assisted customers and listened to their feedback, she didn't just fold clothes and manage the fitting room queue – she was gathering valuable consumer insights.”
Now, the American athleisure brand has raised an $825 million investment, led by growth investors General Atlantic and Stripes. This investment will help the brand reach its goal of launching 100 stores by 2026. The investor leading the round at General Atlantic noted that “the [marketing] team have thoughtfully built an enduring, generational, and category-defining brand.” Big respect, Karen!
FIVE (if you’re still not convinced about TikTok, read this one)
And finally… Since every company is in deep conversation about where the future of Search and information is trending, consider this chart which suggests YouTube, Instagram and, above all, TikTok are where social media users are increasing their reliance.
