Survey says: Consumers are not confident.
The Consumer Confidence Index dropped nearly 7 points since last month, dipping below 90.
Both the Present Situation and Expectation indices are down. The latter marking its 10th month below 80—which usually signals a recession coming.
“Consumer confidence tumbled in November to its second lowest level since April after moving sideways for several months"
Confidence is down across age groups and incomes, though the kids are feeling ok.
Why? Inflation, tariffs, and that whole government shutdown thing.
Consumer splintering continues:
the wealthiest 10% of households, those earning $250,000 or more, now account for half of all US consumer spending, up from about one-third in the early 1990s
This post also shares that the most defining characteristic of luxury brands and products in the minds of consumers is now “expensive.” Which, of course, distills it down to the essence of its use as a status symbol.
via EMARKETER
Sometimes you and a customer just aren’t a fit.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
The wrong part comes in if you try to ignore it and make it work anyway.
Running Google Ads? This AI Max for Search post is worth a read.
My read, this is the account structure to use:
- Search campaign with highest value / most important keywords (exact match)
- AI Max to expand the audience and add incrementality
- PMax / Demand Gen for off-search reach
Is Meta listening?
In early October I posted
Meta needs to ditch the horizontal ad placements and replace that asset bucket with one for 4:5 in the ad builder
Earlier today, when editing the “Right Column, Search Results” placement it now shows 1:1 as the recommended size (in the one account I’m in that I did this in, so YMMV).
The main Feeds placement bucket still says 1:1 recommended, but it looks like it’s trying to default to a 4:5 size in the preview pane. So change may be afoot there as well.
Brands are empty vessels that get filled with meaning through actions and co-creation with customers. Money does not equal meaning.
To be solidly profitable, companies need some kind of competitive advantage…
But it might equally rest on a trusted brand and well-worn habits of making the right kind of decision, quickly. In other words, profitability can rest on shared values, goals and practices too.
An organisation…that has developed the right kind of culture, may well be more attractive to customers
Brand building is expensive in the short run and cheap in the long run.
via Tim Harford
YouTube is the most universally popular platform out there.
Everybody watches YouTube. All the different age groups have big numbers.
YouTube is the closest thing to a mass media platform we have these days.
Hospitality: Would you like some cake?
Sales: Can I get some cake? It’s great cake. What kind can I get you?
Customer Service: How was your cake?
Marketing: Here’s your cake.
The pattern for breakthrough marketing:
Pick a side. Make enemies. Build a tribe.
via Bots Gone Wild