I’ve been back doing what I love most in marketing: teaching and inspiring teams to grasp the enormity of marketing change and opportunities we deal with daily.
For marketers, the daily challenges can seem like a steep climb. Covid killed off face-to-face connections, and it’s time to start investing in our people again - to grow and nurture true human connections and meaningful collaboration.
Daily challenges are lurking in effective digital strategies - the rise and fall (and rise and fall again🙄) of social platforms; the imminent death of third-party cookies and remarketing changing forever; and global trends and shifts in behaviour rapidly evolving.
I love crafting custom workshops to address the needs of businesses and one big topic over recent months has been teaching the power of using AI generative text to replace mundane tasks and free up marketers to give their brain-power to creative thinking and strategy. Add to this: a Gartner survey found that 71% of CMOs believed they lacked sufficient budget to fully execute their strategy. Let's use these tools to our advantage.
My favourite part of a workshop? Seeing the ‘a-ha moment’ for participants - when the penny drops on an idea/learning and you can see a lightbulb moment appear. That makes me happy. If you’re ready to invest in your people and navigate our digital world confidently, let’s chat about how our workshops can be tailored just for you and your team.
Valentina xxx ❤️
AI Influencers Are The New Faces Of Digital Marketing
Have you met Lil Miquela, Shudu, or Kyra? They’re fast becoming some of the hottest names in influencer marketing, collaborating with big brands like Prada, Calvin Klein, and L'oreal. They’re not real humans. They're AI influencers, part of a booming virtual influencer market (valued at $4.06 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to increase 26% by 2025, according to Forbes).
Love it or not, it’s working (35% of US consumers have purchased products endorsed by virtual influencers 🤯):
- Brands get more control over campaign creativity, facing less pushback on content.
- It’s often cheaper than hiring human celebrities and yet still delivers strong returns.
- Virtual influencers won’t cause PR headaches with controversial actions.
All good things have a downside, like you may find AI influencers lack the authenticity that real-life experiences bring.
The influencer marketing landscape offers brands a mix of human and AI options - and there’s no one-size-fits-all. Would you go virtual for your next influencer campaign? 🤔
Posting Longer Reels Can Hurt Performance
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. With the new 3 min or 10 min reel features out in the world, exploring the performance of your content is what will help you determine if you should use them. For Insta, it appears short form content is still the algorithm’s king. 👑
According to Instagram’s content team, posting reels longer than 90 seconds can actually hurt your reach in the app. Remember, extended content is an experiment, and if they’re advising that longer reels may hurt you, there’s evidence that the experiment isn’t working.
Before you put all your eggs in long form reels, I suggest you take a look at your view time and engagement time to determine the right length for your audience.
The Busy Woman’s Doctor: A Brand For Women
It’s all in the name. From concept to creation, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work crafting a brand identity as vibrant and dynamic as the women it serves. Dr. Hamshi Singh's vision was crystal clear: a healthcare experience that felt more like a breath of fresh air than a trip to the doctor's office.
First up, the logo. We knew it had to be more than just a pretty picture. It’s bold, steadfast, eye-catching, and bursting with personality. No boring medical symbols.
Next, the brand identity. Bright colours that vibe vitality and energy? ✅ A tone of voice that's warm, welcoming, and totally relatable? ✅. We wanted every interaction with The Busy Woman’s Doctor to feel like catching up with an old friend – minus the awkward small talk.
The brand is about getting to the heart of it all - we wanted women everywhere to feel seen, heard, and understood – to know that their health matters, no matter how busy life gets.
Whether you're a twenty-something slashie or a seasoned pro with a packed schedule, The Busy Woman’s Doctor is here to make your life easier. And at Banter Group, we couldn't be prouder to have played a part in bringing this game-changing brand to life. ❤️
Empowering Regions: Boyce x Banter Group Collaboration
In the heart of Australia's regional hub, Boyce shines brightly as a leading accounting firm, embodying the values of modern regional communities.
Having worked together since 2018, we embarked on a journey to elevate its brand identity and solidify its market presence, marking the dawn of a new era of expansion and engagement. Our mission was to distil Boyce's visionary ethos into a comprehensive brand playbook, articulating its purpose, values, and vision. This playbook would serve as the guiding beacon, shaping every facet of Boyce's identity and communication strategy. ✍🏼
What did we deliver?
- Brand Playbook: A comprehensive guide outlining Boyce's refreshed identity characterised by vibrant colours and relatable imagery.
- EDMs and Market Updates: Keeping clients informed and engaged with timely market insights.
- Social Media Strategy and Management: Crafting compelling narratives and managing Boyce's online presence.
- Website Design and Development: Designing and building a dynamic platform to showcase Boyce's story and services.
- Event Collateral: Supporting Boyce's presence at key industry events.
We can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for Boyce. 🤩
Designing For Inclusivity: The Dyslexic Perspective
Dyslexia Scotland sent out a poignant message that ‘there is nothing comic about dyslexia.’ Rach, one of our Graphic Designers, relates.
“As someone with dyslexia and a passion for design, I aimed to create a font that embraces the needs of dyslexic readers, much like the debated Comic Sans. This journey wasn’t just about aesthetics but functionality, crafting each character with purpose to aid readability. ‘Imperfection’ led to my design 🎨ethos, proving that fonts can be both beautiful and beneficial.”
Why is the topic of dyslexia so important to us here at Banter? Well you might be surprised to find out that we have a large portion of our team diagnosed with dyslexia.
Rach shares her journey of creating a font that meets dyslexic readers' needs. ✍🏼 Discover the thoughtful design process behind each character in our blog, reflecting our commitment to accessible design.
Less than 5 minute reads for you
This section: Short reads, 👀 not just about marketing.
_____________________
Creators Optin for AI
ChatGPT developer OpenAI says that artists and other content owners will be able to request that their work be excluded from use in AI development. Details at present are clear as mud.
_____________________
TikTok Ad Controls
TikTok Ads Manager’s latest updates includes giving advertisers more control over where their content shows up. 💡
_____________________
Meta Pays Peeps For Threads
Meta has launched an invite-only program that will pay influencers and creators up to $5,000 to create profiles on its Threads app and post content that gets at least 10,000 views. Desperate much? 😬
_____________________
Google Ads Definitions Updated
I know a good metric when I see one, and now Google’s changing the definition of their metrics for Search ads.
You need to get across these updated definitions to understand how they affect the metrics and segments you use to evaluate your campaigns. ✅
Bruce Ryder for Mayor
Bruce is right up my Gen X alley. All puns intended. How hot is he! 🤭 In the words of his creator:
Bruce Ryder emerges as Australia's first openly AI-generated Brand Ambassador using custom AI modelling technology. Positioned within the vibrant culture of late 70s Australia, Bruce embodies the essence of an era cherished by Generation X, drawing inspiration from the nostalgic charm of the Golden Era, where the term "ducks nuts" originated. This backdrop adds a sentimental layer to Bruce's persona, evoking memories of Malibu Cocktails, XB Ford Falcons, a retro soundtrack and his signature satin bath robes.
What’s he sell? Man-bath products.
Was AI super quick to create Bruce? It’s 10 years in the making. 😱This is truly the Ducks Nuts. Buy some balls for the Bruce in your life.
Catch you next time 😊
