Category: Blog
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As pumpkin season enters its peak, so does a fresh wave of standout marketing moments. From Dunkin’s chaotic “Spidey D” to the latest shifts across major social platforms, and a new team for Boston sports fans, there’s plenty to talk about this month. Let’s dive into the October Marketing Minute. Spidey D Runs Rampant We…
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Each year, 4A’s StratFest brings together the thinkers, dreamers, and doers who define where our industry is heading next. This year’s theme, “Adapt or Die,” couldn’t have been more fitting. As technology accelerates and cultural tides shift, strategists are being asked to evolve faster than ever, balancing data with instinct and automation with humanity. As…
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In 2020, I wrote a blog about the worst corporate brand apologies, dissecting iconic missteps such as the Pepsi x Kendall Jenner Super Bowl commercial and a Peloton holiday ad that landed disastrously. When I set out to revisit this topic over five years later, bad brand apologies didn’t come to mind as quickly. But…
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In today’s crowded media environment, brands face an uphill battle to capture attention. Traditional advertising alone doesn’t cut through the noise. What does? Campaigns rooted in community. When brands show up authentically in people’s lives, not just pushing products, but participating in the spaces and stories that matter, they build loyalty, advocacy, and long-term relevance.…
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Six Keys from a Sports Marketer’s View Not all sports cities are created equal – at least not from a marketer’s perspective. Championships and dynasties grab headlines, sure. But what truly sets a city apart is the everyday current of its sports culture: Tuesday night sellouts, jerseys worn year-round, fans who make the teams part…
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Fall is officially here and we’re ready for sweater weather. September closed out with a mix of playful ads, viral satire, brand blunders, and trending TikToks. Here’s the September Marketing Minute. A Bad Stunt in the Himalayas Arc’teryx, a Canadian high-performance outdoor equipment company, made headlines this month after conducting a fireworks display in the…
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In a sea of content, how do you create posts that stand out? The average person spends two-and-a-half hours a day on social media, and is bombarded with thousands of ads, posts, stories and videos. On Instagram, the overall average engagement rate is 3.5%, and with so much circulating, it’s critical for a business’s content…
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When seven people died from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules in 1982, Johnson & Johnson immediately recalled 31 million bottles, halted production, and pulled all advertising. The $100 million hit was staggering at the time, but the quick action demonstrated its priority of safety over profit, saved the brand and set the standard for crisis response. That…
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Every company wants to stay relevant. But what happens when you’re not sure if your brand just needs a refresh or a full teardown and rebuild? It’s a common question we hear from clients across sectors, from healthcare and banking to clean energy and social enterprise. Building a successful brand means building stories, strategies, and…
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In 1996, we started what is now known as CTP in an office that was closer to a closet than a company headquarters. It was just two of us, a couple of phones, and an oversized belief that we could build something meaningful. Over the years, we’ve moved from that little space in Reading to…