Marketing Minute — November 2024
From collaborations to lawsuits, rollouts and rebrands, November had it all. As you digest your Thanksgiving feast, check out the November Marketing Minute.
A Wicked Number of Brand Partnerships
Wicked is this year’s Barbie. It has all the same blockbuster elements: a massive opening weekend at the box office, immediate and resounding praise from audiences and perhaps most notably, the amount of marketing and brand partnerships released in parallel with the film. Wicked has debuted over 400 marketing partnerships with brands such as Crocs, Stanley, Starbucks and more. With pink and green merchandise present at each turn, it begs the question, when does marketing turn from fun to fatiguing? Our answer: when the partnerships no longer feel genuine. Brands should prioritize authentic partnerships—like Ariana Grande and r.e.m. Beauty’s Wicked-themed makeup collection—to make an impact. Quality > quantity.
New Social Media Player on the Rise
Bluesky is on the rise. Last week, the app’s user count hit 20 million and according to Marketing Brew, after 10 months of essentially flat growth, Bluesky app visits skyrocketed 519% in the U.S. and 352% in the U.K. in the week following the election. This migration to Bluesky will have a considerable impact on communications around politics, sports, current events and more. As the popularity of this app continues to grow, marketers should identify potential opportunities and challenges Bluesky might present and gain a better understanding of the platform before recommending action to clients.
AI vs The First Ammendment
Back in August, we talked about the ramifications of deep-fakes and AI. This issue was front and center this month after Elon Musk and X sued California over the new state law targeting deceptive, AI-generated election content, arguing that it violates free speech. Specifically, the law requires social media companies to block and remove “materially deceptive” content related to elections. This legal battle is yet another example of how society is working to find a way to put guardrails around AI. Marketers can expect similar conflicts to continue in 2025.
Rebrand Misses
Two rebrands backfired in November. 1) Tropicana is facing backlash for its most recent rebrand once again. While this iteration didn’t stray too far from the brand’s original logo and imagery, it included a packaging redesign that spurred accusations of Tropicana participating in “shrinkflation” and its lack of awareness. 2) Jaguar revealed its new branding that its chief creative officer touts is, “built around exuberant modernism.” Some like the bold new tone, while others are wonder, “Where are all the cars?” With the internet reacting with general confusion, Jaguar asked people to be open-minded about this change. Rebrands are fraught with peril if not done with extreme care. A note to brands looking to undergo a refresh in 2025, make sure you set yourself up for success.
See you in December!
