Update notice: For our 2023 advice, visit The Dos and Don’ts of Posting on 9/11.

This Sunday marks the fifteenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Many of us have children who were born post, 9/11 – according to LoHud.com, freshman high school classes are now the first generation of students who were not yet born when the United States was attacked in 2001. 

Around this time each year, leaders and brands begin to make the decision on how they will commemorate this day. They also question whether it’s appropriate to draw attention to any other topic on September 11 at all, even if it is an extremely positive one. For example, this Sunday is also Grandparent’s Day – a “fun-filled”, family event that has occurred on the first Sunday after Labor Day ever since then-President Jimmy Carter signed it into law in August of 1978.

So how do companies show respect and highlight other positive events taking place, such as Grandparent’s Day? 

Through our research, we’ve found that many organizations are actually encouraging conversations about both of these topics. They’re planning to highlight the connection of love and family with the immensely life-changing events that occurred in the United States. This two-pronged approach is aiming to facilitate conversations with grandparents and their families about the gravity of 9/11 – especially now that many of these grandchildren weren’t even alive when it happened.

Bozell’s suggestions:

• Plan to publish a post about September 11 on your social channels. Perhaps early in the morning, so your community can share and be part of this important conversation. Example: Today, we honor and remember the lives lost on September 11th. 
• Later in the day, if you’d like to be part of Grandparent’s Day, you could invite additional conversations with a second post. Example: Happy Grandparent’s Day! How are you celebrating the special people in your life today?

All in all, before posting about this event, brands and businesses need to know their audiences and develop appropriate posts based on their fan base.

The best piece of marketing advice (which may seem obvious, but unfortunately, still isn’t to some advertisers): Never connect September 11 to a sale. Ever.

Play our 2020 Marketing Trends Bingo game and see how many of this year’s major trends you or your agency used in your marketing strategies.

Trend #1: Socially Distanced Logos

To encourage people to follow the new practice of social distancing during the early months of the pandemic, Coke spaced out its iconic logo in one of their billboards in Times Square. Several other companies followed suit.

“We have changes.”

These are the words no art director or copywriter wants to hear – doesn’t matter who says them. If we were in the office, you’d hear a large groan and maybe see a few eye rolls. Spoiler alert: Creatives always complain about changes. Just ask any account executive.

You see we’ve been caring for this obviously brilliant idea like it’s one of our own kids. We nurture it to its full potential and then anxiously send it out into the world, hoping it will be loved. And, sometimes we’re so close to the idea that we don’t see why anyone would want to change it. I mean, it’s perfect. Right?

After nearly seven months in a pandemic, consumer behaviors have definitely changed. And in this episode of Marketing Then & Now, Lauren Hartung talks to us about what that means for marketers. She discusses the importance of shifting from reactionary mode to planning mode and how using your marketing dollars to better understand your customer is more important now than ever before. Join us for some great insights into what you can and should be doing in order to stay relevant in the eyes of the new consumer.  

“Nine times out of ten, it’s not a crisis.” That’s what I often told myself when I worked for a governor. The mantra was one of the things that helped me keep my cool when the pressure mounted from large volumes of letters, emails, calls, and social media comments from constituents and reporters.

Eight hundred emails from constituents on Syrian refugees?

>> The response can wait until the Department of Social Services weighs in.

Reporters camped outside demanding an answer on the transgender bathroom bill?

>>The governor is going to hear from proponents and opponents before deciding.

From Napoleon’s sideways hat to Nike’s “Don’t Do It” campaign, this episode of Marketing Then & Now takes a deep dive into the vast world of branding. Join us as Creative Director Tim Young shares a quick lesson on the importance of a brand’s logo, as well as some valuable insights on how to best approach branding and how to let it be your north star during these rocky and emotional times. He even dishes on some of his favorite campaigns of all time, so listen in to find out which ones he considers to be the most memorable and impactful.  

Picture a marketing funnel. The process goes from attracting to nurturing and then converting your collected leads.

But what if you flipped that funnel on its head? First, identifying leads that have a higher interest – and a higher likelihood of closing on your product – and then sharing engaging and personal information that applies to their need(s). This is account-based marketing (ABM).

By now, you’ve probably seen the statistics. Minorities have $3.9 trillion worth of buying power. 44% of millennials are minorities. According to a Pew Research Report, Gen Z (post-millennials)  is the most racially and ethnically diverse group. Many businesses that once viewed minorities as an emerging segment are starting to ensure that they are a core part of their strategy. In order to reach them, businesses are implementing digital advertising tactics. That definitely falls in line with their consumption habits, but they should be careful with how they target them.  

Creating a solid marketing strategy is no easy feat. But as someone who has led successful marketing campaigns for a number of well-known clients (like Warner Brothers and TD Ameritrade), Jackie Miller, Bozell’s CMO, shares some helpful insights in this month’s episode of Marketing Then & Now. From putting the client at the center of your planning to redefining the word “stakeholder,” Jackie offers insightful thought-starters on how to better understand your audience and put together a marketing strategy that is as efficient as it is effective. Take a listen. And prepare to learn. 

I love logo projects. As a non-designer, seeing the team dream up relatively simple visuals, from seemingly nothing, that can translate a complex brand is exciting. So when we recently got the opportunity to create a whole suite of event logos for a long-time partner, I couldn’t wait to see the results. Here’s how it went.

In 2019, Wellness Council of the Midlands (WELLCOM) and Live Well Omaha merged to form a new nonprofit – The Wellbeing Partners. Primary branding for The Wellbeing Partners was completed and launched on January 1, 2020.