GiGi Downs

People say don’t meet your heroes. I disagree. 🦸‍♂️ I appeared on the latest episode of Sweathead with Mark Pollard, Strategy Friend and had an awesome time. Mark is a true strategy hero of mine. I’ve been in his Facebook group for years, loved his book “Strategy Is Your Words” and have gained so much from his podcast. ❤️ I loved discussing communications planning 101, what great comms planning and a great comms planner looks like. In my opinion, great strategy work is a combination of brand and comms planning. Mapping our plan to get from A to B, sparking the big idea, and finding the right ways to bring that all together for your client. We also talked about my favorite platforms to expand upon an idea, some of the channels clients struggle with, and why agencies have been unable to harness comms planning in the ways they know they should. 👇🏼 Take a listen below and let me know what you think! https://lnkd.in/eFhB9t_Q

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By integrating these insights into our lives, we can build a future where truth, innovation, well-being, and empowerment are the cornerstones of our progress.

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Check out this article from my partner in crime, Michelle Edelman as she introduces our new agency positioning!

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Sometimes the stars align, and you get to share your passions with the world. Sure, I know marketing - but did you know I'm the world's foremost expert on the ambrosia of the gods, otherwise known as Diet Mountain Dew? (Those of you who know me personally...know this to be true). I got a chance to talk to Charles Passy at MarketWatch about my love for doing the Dew (and a few thoughts on why it's not clicking with Gen Z). You can read about my absolutely appalling habits here: https://lnkd.in/eh32DfWj I'm completely aligned with Serenity Griffin, who is quoted on Mountain Dew's artificial coloring. To me, the neon green is part of the appeal, but for wellness-obsessed Gen Z, I get it! But the idea of a "clear" Mountain Dew soda is just so counter to the brand, I don't see how that could ever work (I imagine it going down the same path as Crystal Pepsi). If I were PepsiCo, I'd consider two campaigns: 1) Bring back DewMocracy. It is quite literally a bipartisan soda -- apparently loving Dew is a prerequisite for a United States VP. You could have SO much fun with that. And 2) Lean into being a guilty pleasure. Drink your dew while you're getting ready for a good bed rot. Enjoy the ultimate (but relatively benign) vice (see what I did there!?). #marketinginsights #publicrelations #genZ

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📊 In the fast-paced marketing world, blending data with creativity can feel like a balancing act. Are you navigating this journey, too? You’re not alone. Cella's latest read explores how data-driven decision-making is transforming the way we approach marketing and creativity. Discover insights on striking the perfect harmony between numbers and innovation to drive impactful results. ✨ https://lnkd.in/ejJiS9mH #MarketingStrategy #Cella #RandstadDigital

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Well this is timely 🤔 Really well written and thought provoking “this needs to change” article from M.T. Fletcher over at Ad Age. Having now sat on every side of this equation, the notion that the #rfp process is broken is certainly not a new one. Leaders like Seth Matlins are working hard to listen and give CMOs both a voice in this but also a more collective voice to be heard in how to nuance the current situation. Major industry events like Mirren Business Development, Association of National Advertisers, Advertising Week, POSSIBLE , and Brand Innovators have dedicated significant portions of programming to it. One of the biggest thigs I hear whispered sometimes is that as soon as they step off the stage - the line is 10 deep with people wanting to pitch them. Again something I understand from both sides. Digiday, MediaPost, ADWEEK and The Drum have written consistently about the challenges all parties face in the process. A reckoning is coming - it simply needs to. Thanks to all of those like Christian Muche and Ruth Mortimer to dedicating so much thought to the reimagining of the process for marketers. Thanks to people like Shannon Pruitt, David Shing, Steven M., Josh Golden, Alyson Griffin, Casey Hurbis, Sri Rajagopalan, John Militello, Dave Currie, Isaac Mizrahi, Matt Wilson, Rick Watson, Eric Dopkins, and Dave Kersey who’ve given their time and opinions to discuss or provide content around how to create better team conversations around the topic. If your marketer and your interested in having a MiO Campfire 🔥 content & conversation session - I’m yours and we’re here to listen. You can book a campfire with me HERE: https://lnkd.in/e-AtBc-c AM I RIGHT HERE? LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW 👇 #media #marketing #mio

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With a world focused on instant gratification sometimes the importance of consistent brand presence goes unnoticed. Chief Brand Officers are the unsung heroes that keep the ship from hitting that iceberg. This is a good read if you are interested in finding out how instrumental branding is to your success.

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Here is my giant face and some original thoughts on the role and potency of Brand Experience. https://lnkd.in/gTvpwrpz Love to here what you think. - #strategy #branding

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Who's come back from holiday to immediately feel overwhelmed by their inbox? If you're working in #comms please have a read of our practical tips to try and reduce the comms overload. #InternalCommunications #Comms #InclusiveWorkplaces

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A recent article from the AMA highlights a critical insight: many U.S. consumers feel ignored by advertising. In a digital landscape that is overflowing with content, personalization and genuine connection are key. As marketers, it's time to rethink our strategies! Understanding your audience and engaging them authentically can transform your marketing efforts. Let's focus on creating experiences that resonate and make consumers feel seen and valued. One size fits all doesn't work anymore. At shyft digital we talk lot about adapting your approach to connect authentically with your audience. I’d love to hear your thoughts on your approach!💡✨ Read the article here:

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S/O to Whitney Alexander's Substack for this fantastic ADWEEK spotlight. As a 40+ woman, I am definitely feeling the lack of focus by most consumer brands, ironically, when I'm the most willing (and able) to spend more for quality. Only 5-10% of marketing budgets are earmarked for an over-50 audience, BUT: 💰 Women drive 70-80% of all consumer purchasing, either through buying power or influence  💸 And women older than 50 drive $15 trillion in spending power—which is 27% of all consumer spending in the U.S. 🤑 By 2030, women are expected to control much of the $30 trillion in wealth that is soon to transfer from baby boomers to younger generations—namely millennials, who will all be in their mid-30s to late-40s by then [GASP]. The article lists General Motors, Buick and L'Oréal as exceptions, who else do you think is doing a good job at this? https://lnkd.in/ee_ssgGD

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Let's unpack this "18-month long pitch" (there's almost no one that should be celebrating). Lego's Marketing Team cannot make a decision and clearly is horribly aligned internally. There is no reason why it should take this long to select a media agency. Especially when so much of the budget is digital (~75%). My guess is the regions couldn't agree, the CMO couldn't pull them together and the CEO should be wildly concerned about how much time and money was wasted on this review. Publicis probably gave away the farm to win this. An 18-month pitch is not a battle of titans trying to edge each other, like the famous 11 hour Isner/Mahut Wimbledon Match. This is likely painful negotiations both internally at Lego and with Publicis/the other agency participants. It also sets a horrible precedent for future reviews and agency employees should be concerned. Also don't forget, the best of the best get staffed on these reviews... participating in a pitch like this risks your best talent. Every Publicis client should be concerned. Since Publicis likely gave away the farm to win, they are going to look for it somewhere else. Every client of the losing agencies should be concerned. They spent millions in aggregate to pitch this, they are going to look for it somewhere else. Lego's HR team should be concerned. Their new office in Boston is attracting quite a bit of interest from talent. If it takes this long to make a decision, it's going to be a concern for new applicants. This kind of pitch process is a big part of what is destroying the ad agency model. These Lego clients should be ashamed of themselves and the rest of the ad community should hold them to task. There is only one winner... the pitch consultant. And they should be grateful they are not listed in this press release. No brand client should ever hire them again. (and if you're curious... I've won pitches this big on the agency, held reviews this size as a client, and managed some as a consultant.) #adagency #mediaagency #RFP #Lego

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“Absolute blockbuster of a piece by ADWEEK’s Trishla Ostwal that chronicles some refreshingly candid remarks by Walgreens Director of Media and Strategy, James Lerner at Brandweek. Walgreens is very lucky to have this young man in their employ. I wish more client side leaders would follow Lerner’s example and speak out about the growing list of injustices by bad actors operating in plain sight in the digital ecosystem. Here are just a few of his perspectives in Trishla’s article: “Can we trust what’s going viral on TikTok? Absolutely not. It’s all a lie. It’s all an illusion. Obviously, Google doesn’t want to tell you (struggle to understand where the ads appear and what drives revenue) because it’s sucking up all your budget [and] giving you some type of efficiency curve and your ROI is decent, so you’re not going to question that. For a large Fortune 500 company with 8,000 stores, that’s not a very acceptable answer!” Lerner voiced frustrations over platforms’ claiming over-attribution. “They do come back to me and say, ‘Yep, you’re right, there might be some over-attribution—we’re claiming too much credit” If I know who is buying my products, why can’t a platform serve ads to the right person at the right time? Lerner added that Walgreens is trying to break down some of the walled gardens, and small doors are opening. He is particularly keen to get impression logs (#LLD) to show to the CFO that Walgreens is getting the best possible price for the media it’s buying. Please read the entire piece here: 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/eeA_wYR5

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How do companies strike the right balance between empathy and education with such short windows to reach target audiences through advertising?     On this podcast, #client, Nathan Minnich, SVP @Treace Medical Concepts, and RC colleague, Brian Schwartz, join Larry Dobrow, Editor-in-Chief, MM+M to discuss using creative minds, AI and analytics to inform fully integrated campaigns that are hyper-targeted, a little quirky and most importantly, attention- grabbing. https://lnkd.in/gujafUQY

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Proud when the work aims to drive change. 📣 The past few weeks, an integrated Edelman team spanning Creative, Earned Media, Client Leaders, Community Managers, Multicultural experts, Influencer Relations, Paid Media, and more, have been working on something important. Our client partners at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. have united a powerful coalition of Asian-American and other activists, chefs, food journalists, and nutritionists. Last week, they published an open letter calling on the NEJM Group - The New England Journal of Medicine - to revisit the racist term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" that they coined. ❗ ❗ Background: In 1968, the journal published a letter to the editor who wrote about effects from eating at some Chinese restaurants. The author of the letter didn't use the term, but the journal gave the letter the headline, "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome." From there, the media frenzy took off, creating a narrative that demonized MSG. 💡The Facts: MSG, a naturally occurring amino acid, is classified as safe by the FDA and is essential for bringing Umami to food. However, the 1968 headline by NEJM Group led to persistent racist misconceptions that the Asian community still confronts today. ⚡ Chef's and food writers such as Calvin Eng and Kat Lieu, DPT, CLT spoke about their experiences as Asian-American chefs who use MSG and the impact the racist rhetoric has on them as individuals, and the greater AAPI community at large. Kat said, "You have an America where Chinese food is seen as unhealthy or dirty or cheap, something like fast food, or worse." For Calvin, he envisions a future where MSG is valued for its role in enhancing flavor, free from outdated stigma, "It's about education and openness...We need to shift the conversation to celebrate the quality and authenticity of the food, moving beyond old misconceptions." Thanks to Shawna Chen, Axios, Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, IFLScience, Joy Sauce, NextShark and more for covering and highlighting this important movement. Read more: The letter: https://lnkd.in/dfCS-iH4 Forbes: https://lnkd.in/d3iytwCR Axios: https://lnkd.in/dmiY_diH IFL Science: https://lnkd.in/dx9ZV-4u NextShark: https://lnkd.in/d8Vt6mye Joy Sauce: https://lnkd.in/duYHFKje Gennifer Horowitz Amanda (Drain) Gillman Brittany Herrmann Jane Chung Caroline Tortorella Carolina Rincon Sato Shelby Montgomery Jill Lehman Conor Hogan Lexie Flood Cameron Baker Jesse Suchmann Kelsey Cohen Stephanie Walker, MPH, CHES Michael Byrnes Ariana Saunders #chineserestaurantsyndrome #aapi #knowmsg #msg #umami #history #foodhistory #nejm #asianamericanhistory #asianamerican #food #chinesefood #asianfood

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I’m excited about what the future of retail media means for our media tech clients but also for marketing leaders in general. BCG does a great job outlining why CMOs will want to increase retail media spend—and how RMNs need to step up their game to help them justify greater investment. If we are to believe analyst projections of $100 billion in U.S. retail media spend over the next 2-3 years, it seems many of the items on BCG’s RMN “to-do” list need to happen, especially: - Offering a more seamless customer experience across online and in-store to boost performance across the full consumer journey - Providing more and more data and actionable reports to enhance transparency, insight, targeting, and personalization - Deepening relationships to deliver increasingly tailored media solutions that are unique to each advertiser and its consumers - Achieving a level of sophistication that matches—or at least approaches—the performance, scale, and precision of leading digital ad platforms like Google and Meta (e.g., as Amazon has done) https://lnkd.in/gKJ53T-x

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Talked to Ad Age about why CMOs unrealistic expectations about AI cause them to abandon projects. An important read. As CMOs address change management, level-setting expectations may also require them to reassess the fundamental purpose for why they are adopting AI… Thanks for the chat Asa Hiken https://lnkd.in/erYhQVvr

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**Diverse Segments Represent Business Growth: Are CMOs Investing Accordingly?** I recently read an insightful article by my colleague Isaac Mizrahi, CEO of Alma on Forbes that delves into a critical question for today's marketers: Are CMOs investing appropriately in diverse segments? As we approach the second half of the year, companies are reassessing their business projections amid an uncertain macroeconomic scenario. With inflation and high interest rates impacting consumers, brands are seeking growth opportunities beyond price increases. Diverse segments present a promising avenue for growth. According to the latest U.S. Census report, Hispanic, African American, and Asian American consumers now represent 100% of the country's population growth and a significant share of business growth across various categories. Isaac's analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that between 2017 and 2022, total annual aggregate spending per household increased by 25%. Notably, the combined diverse segment experienced a 42% increase in expenditure, outpacing the non-Hispanic white segment, which grew by only 19%. Household purchasing power also surged, with the Hispanic segment growing by 46% to $1.3 trillion, the African American segment by 35% to $1.0 trillion, and the Asian American segment by 47% to $0.7 trillion. These segments now represent 30% of America's household purchasing power, up from 26% in 2017. Despite these numbers, many CMOs still view diverse segments as an extension of the general market, relying on single, broad-reaching ideas. However, connecting with diverse consumers requires a balanced mix of inclusive and culturally specific approaches, leveraging influencers, social media, and digital channels to amplify culturally relevant messages. Ignoring the significance of diverse segments, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, could be a costly mistake. These consumers demand recognition of their whole identity, including ethnic pride and belonging, influencing American culture in music, fashion, food, sports, language, and entertainment. Marketers must invest strategically in diverse consumer segments to achieve substantial growth and become market leaders. It's time to put marketing investments where the growth is. Which side will you pick? #Marketing #Diversity #BusinessGrowth #ConsumerTrends #CMOs #EthnicMarketing #hispanicmarketing

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