Digital Breakfast 2020 Event Recap

On Thursday, October 1, Collective Measures hosted its sixth annual (although first-ever virtual) event for 250+ clients, prospects, and friends of the agency. The keynote presentation, titled “Marketing through disruption: navigating COVID, data restrictions, and planning for the unknown,” shed light on the effects that recent global events and continual marketing evolution are having on how marketers should approach 2021 and beyond.

In addition to a presentation from leaders at Collective Measures, the agency partnered with three of its clients to conduct 1:1 live interviews. These interviews addressed the extraordinary challenges of 2020 by dialoguing about real-life marketing experiences that could resonate with fellow digital marketers.

Client Interviews: Andersen Windows/Renewal by Andersen

The first clients to be interviewed were Kristy Howe, Senior Director of Marketing for Andersen Windows, and Tom Audette, Director of Marketing at Renewal by Andersen. Together their companies have dominated and revolutionized the window and door business for more than 110 years. With a national lockdown and social distancing, Kristy and Tom have fielded significant curveballs this year, as Renewal by Andersen’s business model is based on in-home consultations and custom window appointments and installation, and Andersen Windows’ is based on a retail and distributor network. However, the two have creatively forged a path forward through unprecedented times.

Key takeaways

• Identify opportunities for greater visualization and how you can build out a consumer experience to support the “digital experience”
• Discuss how to generate leads from the digital space. Consider standing up a digital marketing platform (DMP)
• Bring brands in the same house together. Consider new ways to merchandise two brands together to create a better overall customer experience

Client Interviews: Land O’Lakes

In the second round of interviews, attendees heard from Julie Scheife, Digital Marketing Director at Land O’Lakes, who leads digital marketing strategy by expertly building capabilities to accelerate growth across all business units. Alongside her was Tim Brunelle, Director of Content and Production, who leads content and production teams across Land O’Lakes’ portfolio of brands. Land O’Lakes’ enterprise business enables a farm-to-fork view of agriculture across its various business divisions, ranging from agriculture and livestock feed to butter and food service. No division has been spared from the effects of Covid, but together Julie and Tim have worked to position Land O’Lakes for success.

Key takeaways

• Remain nimble with developing content, especially video content. Understand that there is so much that can be done on a smartphone
• Continue to put the customer first – create content opportunities that meet them where they are and allow them to engage on their own time
• Really listen to your customers. As the world has changed, consumers are more vocal about what they want and what they expect from brands

Client Interviews: The Tile Shop

In the final set of interviews, attendees heard from Jill Byrnes, Director of Marketing & Communications at The Tile Shop. Jill joined the company in 2019 (after nearly 20 years at Room & Board), so in her first year on the job, she has led her nimble team through the expected and the very unexpected. And with high-quality tile products, exclusive designs, and world class design services offered in over 100 retail locations, there were many unexpected challenges to navigate. Joining her at the Digital Breakfast was Marketing Manager Shehan Ghanchi, who brings over 5 years of valuable knowledge and insight about The Tile Shop business.

Key takeaways

• Keep the business’ vision front and center. Avoid backsliding to pre-COVID times by capitalizing on shifts you were forced to make because of COVID
• Meet people where they want to shop and connect those relationships from online to the store
• Find success by creating a balance between immediate and long-term business needs. And if you have something 80% complete, it’s okay to roll with it and continue chipping away at the remaining 20% over time.

Keynote Presentation: Marketing through disruption by Collective Measures

What was once normal in the marketing landscape (and frankly, the world) is no longer. Unprecedented global events have changed everything. And that’s in addition to the undercurrent of ongoing marketing evolution – shifting consumer behavior, growing data privacy concerns, new approaches to media buying, and more – so it’s easy to see why annual planning is harder and more daunting than ever.

At this year’s Digital Breakfast, the Collective Measures team discussed the dichotomy between big data and the hunger to use it to personalize marketing efforts, with growing privacy concerns and the push to limit the data marketers can use to target and track their audience. This will all come to a head in 2021 when the ability to use third-party cookies disappears – at the exact moment when COVID-19 has upended marketing plans and thrown benchmarks out the window. So what’s a marketer to do? Well it’s not all doom and gloom. Our team assembled some thoughtful and clear next steps to help set up your marketing strategies for success in 2021.

Key takeaways

1. Your pre-Covid media mix won’t work; adjust to take advantage of changes
2. Take advantage of the shifts in consumer behavior as a result of disruption
3. Your audience will expect more from you – listen and fulfill their needs
4. Data is shifting; know how you’re going to account for third-party losses with zero party, first party, and testing
5. Attribution and lookback windows are shifting, so make sure you are aligned
6. Increased privacy concerns require your technology to respond
7. And then benchmark again
8. Disruption will continue to occur; make sure you have a flexible plan to prepare for the unknown

What’s next?

As brands structure their 2021 marketing efforts, it’s important to consider how 2020 has changed data privacy, targeting, and user behavior. As we heard from CM clients and leaders at the agency, the best way to put this year behind us is to take the learnings, the momentum, the shift in business objectives, and use it to inform your strategies moving forward.

Interested in having Collective Measures present to your team? Just reach out to your Account Manager or email us at info@collectivemeasures.com.

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