AI revolutionizes Olympic viewing

The 2024 Paris Olympics is expected to be a significant event, continuing the long tradition of the Olympics being at the forefront of technological advancements. Key developments from past Olympics, such as the groundbreaking introduction of slow-motion replays and the mind-blowing achievement of live broadcasts reaching audiences worldwide, demonstrate the spirit of innovation. This spirit continues in Paris, where cutting-edge technology will share the spotlight with athletic excellence.

While you may know Alibaba as the force behind Singles’ Day, the world’s biggest shopping event, this Chinese tech giant is also a major player in artificial intelligence. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has found a strong partner in Alibaba, whose cloud-based AI is set to revolutionize the viewing experience for audiences worldwide.

Alibaba Cloud’s AI-powered multi-camera replay system, tested during the Shanghai qualifiers, takes center stage. This innovative technology leverages machine learning and deep neural networks to create high-quality 3D models from strategically placed cameras. The result? Virtual frames from new angles, smoother replays, and an immersive experience for viewers worldwide.

Building on its success at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the multi-camera replay system expands to 12 venues in Paris 2024, including beach volleyball, tennis, judo, and rugby. This grants broadcasters a rich library of dynamic replays, significantly enriching the Olympic viewing experience for audiences everywhere.

5 brands excelling at Olympic marketing

Let’s delve into some five brands that we think are delivering exceptional Olympic marketing campaigns. 

Nike

When it comes to Olympic marketing, Nike is at the forefront. The brand consistently make significant investments, with reports suggesting that its spending for the 2024 Games is its largest ever. This dedication results in impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences.

This year, Nike introduced a diverse range of team uniforms, highlighting athlete comfort and individual expression. Its “spectrum of styles” approach ensures that athletes feel confident and empowered in its attire. 

Nike also took a step further, claiming that the 2024 collection is its most “data-driven and visually unified effort” ever. Each kit supposedly reflects the unique identity and cultural background of the participating countries and sports.

For track and field athletes, Nike offers a wide variety – nearly 50 apparel pieces and 12 competition styles – catering to individual preferences and specific events. This level of customization and athlete-centric design showcases Nike’s profound understanding of the Olympic spirit and its emphasis on empowering athletes to achieve their best.

P&G

P&G takes a unique approach to Olympic marketing, focusing on providing essential, behind-the-scenes support for athletes throughout the Games. Leveraging its vast brand portfolio – over 30 brands like Pampers, Venus, Gillette, and Always activated in over 40 countries – P&G ensures athletes’ needs are met before, during, and after competition.

P&G’s commitment goes far beyond traditional advertising. Imagine stepping off the plane and being greeted with a welcome kit stocked with familiar P&G products. At the Olympic Village, P&G provides practical services that make life easier for athletes, including a Pampers nursery, an Ariel laundry room, and a salon featuring various P&G brands. Athletes competing at Paris 2024 can also expect access to Oral-B products at a dental clinic and readily available feminine hygiene products.

Samsung

Samsung has a strong presence in Olympic marketing as a long-time Worldwide Olympic Partner. For the Paris 2024 Games, Samsung has introduced the “Open Always Wins” campaign, which is in line with the official message of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, promoting inclusivity and openness.

In addition to traditional advertising, Samsung has strategically placed banners featuring the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in popular Parisian locations such as Haussman Street, Palais Garnier, and La Défense. These placements ensure high visibility throughout the Games, including the Paralympic Games, which conclude in September 2024.

The “Open Always Wins” campaign conveys Samsung’s brand values of embracing innovation and pushing boundaries. This reflects the spirit of the Olympics, where athletes constantly strive to achieve new feats. By highlighting its groundbreaking foldable phone lineup, Samsung reinforces this message and solidifies its position at the forefront of technological innovation.

Deloitte

Deloitte has partnered with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to launch “The First Effect” campaign, taking a unique approach to Olympic marketing. This campaign aims to redefine success by focusing on the lasting influence of groundbreaking achievements at the Olympics and Paralympics, rather than just the medal count.

Debuting 100 days before the Paris 2024 Games, “The First Effect” will be prominently displayed in Deloitte’s key global markets and across the IOC’s digital channels, including Meta, TikTok, and X. The campaign will continue throughout the Games.

In the lead-up to Paris 2024, “The First Effect” will showcase the stories of five inspiring athletes who defied barriers and made history. One such story is that of Nicola Adams, a British boxer who made history at the 2012 London Olympics by becoming the first female Olympic boxing champion. Her win sparked a surge in female boxing participation in Great Britain, dramatically transforming the sport’s visibility and representation for women and girls.

The campaign also spotlights other inspiring figures like Sarah Attar, the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete in track and field at the Olympics, and Natalie Du Toit, the first amputee swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Games.

“The First Effect” doesn’t stop at athlete stories. It delves into other historical firsts at the Olympics, including the introduction of female athletes at the 1900 Paris Games and the first-ever live global broadcast at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

LVMH

Luxury giant LVMH is going all out for the Paris 2024 Olympics with its  “The Rooftops” campaign, directed by Louis de Caunes. This campaign captures the magic of the Games against the stunning backdrop of Paris.

The film goes beyond the athletic competition by showcasing the Parisian spirit that drives these LVMH-sponsored athletes. The campaign features swimmers, fencers, wheelchair tennis champions, rugby players, and gymnasts training on Parisian rooftops, with iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe serving as silent witnesses to its determination to achieve victory.

“The Rooftops” is a multi-faceted campaign, with 60 and 30-second films being displayed on event schedule billboards throughout the Games, as well as on social media and in print formats to ensure maximum exposure for both the athletes and the City of Lights.

LVMH’s role as “Artisan of All Victories” goes beyond this campaign. As a premium Partner, the company will utilize the craftsmanship of its artisans for key celebratory moments throughout the Games. This collaborative effort between LVMH and Paris 2024 reflects the Group’s longstanding support for sports and prestigious international competitions, promising to be a stunning showcase of French excellence on the world stage.

How you can score big with Olympic marketing

The Olympic Games ignite a global passion for sportsmanship and excellence. With a captivated global audience, the Games presents a unique opportunity to elevate your brand and connect with potential customers. Here are winning strategies to leverage the Olympic spirit:

Embrace moments-based marketing

The Olympics provide many real-time moments and stories. Take advantage of inspiring victories, upsets, and athletic achievements by creating engaging subject lines, social media posts, ads, or blog content to align with these moments.

Connect to your brand

Instead of posting generic congratulations, relate the Olympic moment to your brand values. For example, if a swimmer persevered through a tough race, highlight your company’s commitment to resilience. If a team achieved victory through collaboration, showcase your expertise in teamwork to make your message relevant and impactful.

Look beyond the winners

Look for opportunities outside the spotlight. Partner with lesser-known athletes who embody your brand spirit. Sponsor their training, create content that follows their journey, or support their local communities. These grassroots partnerships build authentic connections with potential customers who appreciate brands that champion rising stars.

Utilize user-generated content (UGC)

The Olympics ignite a global conversation. Tap into this energy by encouraging your audience to join the fun. Run contests that ask them to share photos or videos celebrating the Games with your product. This user-generated content (UGC) creates organic brand exposure, fosters a sense of community, and provides valuable insights into your customer base.

Highlight human stories

People connect with stories, not just products. Look for inspiring narratives beyond the medals. Feature stories of athletes overcoming adversity, the dedication of coaches, or the passion of volunteers. These stories will resonate with your audience and build a lasting connection with your brand, humanizing it in a way that generic marketing messages can’t.

By following these strategies, you can capitalize on the Olympic moments to create impactful marketing.

A golden opportunity for marketing innovation

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are revolutionizing the marketing landscape. Brands are challenging traditional Olympic marketing, empowering athletes, and delivering an unforgettable experience for global audiences.

As excitement for the Games continues to build, we can anticipate further marketing innovations and impactful messaging, setting the stage for a remarkable Olympic experience. Beyond the athletic accomplishments, the narratives and connections forged will ensure that Paris 2024 makes a lasting impact on the worlds of marketing and sports alike.

1. Get serious about data

In my session, I urged the audience to get serious about data. Customers generate a ton of valuable marketing and transactional data (especially zero-party data that brands responsibly collect with their permission) across various channels. But the challenge lies in extracting meaningful insights that can be used to make an impact.

Imagine unifying data from your website, app, SMS, point of sale (POS) software, and more. This powerful combination unlocks a deep understanding of your customers’ intentions and buying trends. You can then leverage marketing automation to make informed decisions, conduct A/B tests, and target specific customer segments with the right actions. This ultimately leads to better customer engagement, trust, loyalty, and increased sales.

As I explained, connecting the dots across all customer touchpoints is key. Whether it’s the website, WhatsApp, email, or newsletters, providing a consistent and personalized experience across all these channels creates a fantastic shopping journey.

2. Personalization and hyper-targeting

Research from McKinsey shows the power of personalization. A whopping 71% of consumers expect brands to deliver personalized experiences, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t.

Think about it: how annoying is it to sign up for a newsletter and receive it late or not at all?

Personalization, at its core, is simply following the trail of breadcrumbs your customers leave behind and using them to deliver relevant content at the right time. I shared three key strategies to achieve personalization at scale:

• Content customization: Tailor messages or offers based on customers’ interests, purchase history, demographics, and location. Take it a step further with geotargeting to push relevant recommendations or offers via the most appropriate touchpoint when a customer is near a specific store.
• Dynamic content: Automatically populate email newsletters with information and offers relevant to individual customers or similar customer segments.
• Automated, triggered messages: Deliver timely messages based on customer behaviors like website visits, blog reads, or link clicks.

It’s surprising how many brands still miss out on the benefits of personalization, customization, and automation. Even simple techniques like personalizing email subject lines can make a huge difference. 

A personalized subject line is 50% more likely to be opened. Different subject lines can also be A/B tested (e.g., does using an emoji impact response rate?) to refine messaging and improve open rates.

I showcased the power of data-driven marketing automation with real-world results. A UK holiday company and Dotdigital customer, Parkdean Resorts, ran a 12-day campaign using personalized messages, creative assets, and geotargeting across various touchpoints. This resulted in a phenomenal 815% return on investment, a 145% increase in conversions, and nearly 20% revenue growth. 

3. Artificial intelligence and machine learning

While AI and machine learning are still evolving, I urged attendees to consider their potential. These technologies are here to stay and are rapidly developing.

Imagine tools that:

• Fix your spelling and grammar
• Recommend phrasing based on past successes
• Suggest tonal adjustments (empathetic or playful?)

AI is a lifesaver for busy marketers, ensuring consistent high-quality output. I emphasized that these capabilities, and many more, are being integrated into marketing automation platforms for even greater ease of use.

But AI’s potential goes beyond content creation. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data from various sources and uncover insights is a game-changer.

4. Sustainability and social responsibility in marketing

The room was packed until the very end. I wrapped up by highlighting a growing trend: customer focus on a brand’s values. This includes a company’s approach to sustainability, social and environmental issues, and charitable causes.

Transparency in communicating these efforts has a double benefit: it raises awareness of important issues while strengthening customer engagement, loyalty, and trust. Ultimately, these factors can differentiate your brand and boost sales.

The Dotdigital team was busy from the moment the doors opened. We welcomed marketers from various sectors, including charities and retailers, to the stand. Everyone was eager to learn more about data-powered customer experience (CX). 

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Southampton. If you were one of the many people who took home one of our Dotdigital Winston mascots, please share photos with us. We would love to see where he is living now.

It’s become a day that is celebrated far and wide. Retailers, brands, broadcasters, and marketers mark the day, helping to bring it to the forefront of mainstream media. But has its recognition turned International Women’s Day into something it was never intended to be?

Is International Women’s Day becoming little more than another opportunity to sell?

The origins and significance of International Women’s Day

I hear some of you wondering “So what”? Surely all publicity is good publicity for the day, right?

Let’s think about it.

International Women’s Day (IWD) was established over 100 years ago in 1911, during a time when women were fighting for their right to be seen as equals among men. A series of events, including the 1908 Women’s Day protest in New York laid the foundation for the day to be recognized far and wide.

Over the years, women have made incredible strides to level the playing field. Rosa Parks lit the spark that would become the civil rights movement. Frida Kahlo used art to communicate and connect with people. Althea Gibson broke the color barrier in tennis and Billie Jean King successfully advocated for equal prize money for men and women. I could go on all day listing the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Aung San Suu Kyi, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, and Maya Angelou who have helped break barriers and shatter the glass ceilings that have been holding women back for centuries.

Despite all these amazing, notable accomplishments, gender inequality persists. Women around the world still face issues like the wage gap, limited access to healthcare, inadequate representation in leadership roles, and gender-based violence.

To truly honor International Women’s Day, we must acknowledge how far we have come while remaining committed to addressing the challenges that persist today.

The commercialization of International Women’s Day

So are brands using International Women’s Day as an opportunity to market their products or services?

Pinkwashing, a term that has been gaining traction over recent years, refers to the practice of brands using feminist causes – like International Women’s Day – as a marketing tool without genuinely supporting the empowerment of women and equality between the sexes.

As popularity for the day has grown, there are an increasing number of companies that employ IWD messaging to boost their brand image or sell products, over genuine support.

Pinkwashing detracts from the critical conversations that need to be had and dilutes the importance of the day.

Authentic vs. sale-centric email marketing

Let’s have a look at some examples.

There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with these emails, per se. They’re beautifully designed, engaging, all-round nice emails. But what do they have to do with International Women’s Day? Absolutely nothing. They’re simply promoting their products.

On the other hand, this example from the Italian jewelry brand, Pomellato, truly promotes IWD. Its video, which features inspirational women including its female CEO discusses the issues and struggles women are experiencing every day. It’s paired with a small promotion about the brand’s charity work empowering women survivors of domestic violence.

Reclaiming the meaning of International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is an opportunity for brands to celebrate the achievements of women around the world. However, it’s important to go beyond simple gestures like “get 10% off today” and look at tangible actions that advance gender equality. Whether that’s opening up safe spaces to have important discussions or working with existing charities to make an impact, International Women’s Day is a day for action.

Moving beyond tokenism

IWD is a chance to showcase your brand’s support for women, but sadly, these one-off gestures end up feeling superficial. Companies need to adopt a sustainable approach. Thinking about IWD as a one-day affair isn’t going to make the change we need.

That’s not to say you can’t run sales or offers on the day. We’re marketers, after all, and clicks, conversions, and sales are what we’re measured on. But it’s about balance. How your brand supports and encourages women throughout the year should be a prominent story you tell alongside any sales or promotional messaging.

How brands can make International Women’s Day more than just a hashtag

So, has International Women’s Day become a sales gimmick? It can be tempting for brands to view it that way. But there’s a crucial opportunity here. By using IWD as a springboard for genuine action and year-round support for women’s equality, brands can make a real difference.

Here’s what you can do:

• Challenge yourself to move beyond tokenism. Plan initiatives that extend far beyond a single day.
• Support organizations working towards gender equality. Partner with charities or foundations that align with your brand values.
• Amplify the voices of women. Feature stories and achievements of women throughout the year, not just on IWD.

International Women’s Day can be a powerful tool. Let’s use it to celebrate the incredible achievements of women and push for a future where equality is not just a slogan, but a reality.

Harnessing AI and machine learning in web development and marketing

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is changing the game in web development and marketing. By automating some repetitive tasks, personalizing user experiences, and providing insights, these technologies are making your marketing strategies easier. 

For instance, chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI can now better understand and address user needs, so you can focus on more important tasks. Additionally, ML algorithms can analyze huge amounts of data and identify trends and patterns that can be used to improve web designs and marketing strategies. 

David Schulhof, Director of Digital at The PHA Group says: 

“The enhancements in AI and machine learning tech have given marketers the capability to work faster and smarter with more extensive data sets. However, these tools are not magic wands. Success lies in a human-machine partnership, a hybrid approach. Marketers must adopt AI and ML tech to amplify expertise, not replace it. Define clear goals, provide high-quality data, and interpret insights critically. With this collaborative approach, marketers can remove more guesswork and have confidence in data-driven decision-making.”

Integrating user-centric design practices into marketing initiatives

The methods of communication between businesses and their customers are evolving at a fast pace. It’s important for your marketing team and web developers to stay up-to-date with these changes. Nowadays, customers expect personalized experiences, and brands should have a thorough understanding of their customers’ needs to provide such experiences.

To achieve this, your marketing and web development teams should work together. By doing so, they can create designs that work well on different devices and input modes. This collaboration ensures that the designs are responsive and accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or the devices they use.

Josh Grant, Director of Absolute Design suggests:

“Collaborative efforts between marketing and web development teams are crucial because they ensure a seamless alignment of user-centric design principles with marketing strategies. This partnership enables the creation of responsive, accessible, and personalized digital experiences to meet diverse user needs and preferences. 

Through their joint efforts, these teams can effectively utilize data-driven insights, adapt to evolving user behaviors, and maintain an iterative approach to design, ensuring continuous improvement and relevance in the rapidly changing digital world. This collaboration enhances user engagement and drives more effective and impactful marketing outcomes.”

Leveraging data-driven insights for informed web design and marketing decisions

A data-led approach will be essential in designing attractive, functional, intuitive websites and effective marketing strategies in the coming years. A/B testing, heatmaps, and user feedback tools will become even more vital in determining the success of web designs and marketing campaigns. 

Combining data from various sources, including customer surveys, social media analytics, and website metrics, will provide valuable insights that inform design decisions and marketing efforts.

Dan Coleman, Director of Coleman Marketing says:

“Concepts such as cross-channel attribution, cross-device tracking, and connecting first & third-party data will likely become even more accessible to marketers. What’s more, AI will empower marketers to ask increasingly complex questions of the data in natural language without having to learn complex queries. This empowerment means how you design and integrate your data sources at the outset is paramount.”

The impact of emerging web technologies on marketing strategies

Emerging web technologies such as progressive web apps (PWAs), accelerated mobile pages (AMP), and Extended Reality (WebXR) are transforming the digital landscape, providing exciting new opportunities to enhance user experiences. To stay ahead of the competition, you must adapt your marketing strategy and incorporate these technologies.

PWAs offer an app-like experience through web browsers, increasing user engagement and loyalty with fast-loading content, offline access, and push notifications. AMP helps to improve site performance and reduce bounce rates by expediting content consumption on mobile devices. WebXR unlocks immersive experiences through Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), enabling the development of creative, interactive campaigns.

Josh Grant says:

“Emerging web technologies are reshaping digital marketing. They compel marketers to think innovatively, focusing on creating more engaging, interactive, and user-friendly experiences. As these technologies become more mainstream, they will provide a competitive edge to businesses that effectively integrate them into their marketing strategies, offering new ways to connect with and captivate their audience.”

Measuring the effectiveness of an integrated web development and marketing approach

To determine the effectiveness of a coordinated web development and marketing approach, businesses must define specific key performance indicators (KPIs), monitor customer behavior, and use data to guide decision-making. Advanced analytic tools with comprehensive reporting capabilities will be essential in providing deep insights and enabling informed choices.

Dan Coleman says:

“The key to succeeding will be to ensure that web development and marketing teams have compatible & complementary KPIs regarding commercial performance. The data can tell you the adjustments you need to make; those businesses with the agility to act on the data and make incremental improvements will outperform the competition.”

To sum up

In conclusion, the fusion of marketing and web development will redefine digital experiences and unlock new possibilities in the coming years. By taking advantage of emerging technologies, adopting user-centric design practices, and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can stay at the forefront of this transformation and deliver exceptional value to their customers.

If you want to understand more, Dotdigital is hosting a panel discussion alongside Absolute Design, Coleman Marketing, and The PHA Group to explore this further. This panel discussion is for business owners, marketing professionals, web developers, and user experience designers who are keen on staying updated with the latest trends and technologies shaping the digital landscape. 

We aim to empower these innovative minds with valuable insights that facilitate a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between marketing and web development, enabling them to create outstanding digital experiences for their customers and stay ahead of the competition in the ever-changing digital world.

Between the Chiefs back-to-back wins, Taylor Swift chugging her drink, Jason Kelce’s dungarees, Beyonce’s new album announcement, and Usher’s half-time show it’s fair to say this year’s Super Bowl was iconic. But were the commercials?

Let’s have a look at some of the winners and losers from this year’s offerings and see if we can learn why some made more impact than others.

The best Super Bowl commercials 2024

Watching over this year’s commercials, I noticed one distinct differentiator. Those that did well this year had a clear direction. Essentially, their storytelling was on point. Whether they decided to go kooky and weird or tug at the heartstrings, the goal was clear and the result was memorable.

Google Pixel

The importance of accessibility cannot be understated. We all want to live in a fairer world where no one feels segregated or disadvantaged. Of course, a smartphone isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.

This commercial from Google tugs at the heartstrings and forces many viewers to see the world from a completely different perspective – one where we don’t take clear vision for granted. The story was strong and heartfelt, the goal was clear and the message memorable. An all-round winner in my eyes.

REESE’S

This is a great example of a brand that knows its customer base. As a big fan of REESE’S Big Cups, I totally get the reaction, why mess with something so perfect? I know a lot of people who would agree with me too, don’t go changing something so perfect. But hold on… adding caramel, yes, please.

It’s wonderfully weird which makes it memorable. Plus, the voiceover is provided by Will Arnett. Any Arrested Development fans out there will certainly enjoy the parallels in humor.

Dove

I can’t deny that this commercial appeals to me greatly. Amid the male-dominated Super Bowl comes a poignant reminder that young girls often stop playing sports because they lack body confidence. This advert is a continuation of Dove’s campaign empowering women and promoting body positivity and acceptance. Its goal wasn’t to promote its products but to share its brand values. We love to see it.

Microsoft

Microsoft spent its Super Bowl slot promoting its AI assistant, Copilot. The beautiful thing about this commercial is how it furthers user creativity.

There is still a lot of uncertainty around AI. People are worried about AI displacing human roles, but Microsoft dedicated its 60-second slot to showcasing all the ways Copilot can be used to help people achieve their goals.

Dunkin’ Donuts

This commercial deserves a shout-out for the cast alone. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez, Jack Harlow, Fat Joe, and Super Bowl Alum Tom Brady – it’s an outstanding line-up. It has widely been declared the best ad of the Super Bowl and the garish pink and orange tracksuits sold out within 19 minutes of being added to the shopdunkin.com site.

All in all, it’s a genius stroke by a marketing team who knows what will appeal it its audience.

CeraVe

For those of you like me, who love regularly checking in with all things related to celebrity gossip, you’ll have noticed strange pictures of Michael Cera lugging around bags of CeraVe around New York. Well, what was considered to be a semi-successful publicity stunt turned into a genius marketing event.

The best thing about this ad is that even if you’re not familiar with CeraVe products, they make it explicitly clear it is dermatologists, not Michael Cera behind the brand.

The worst Super Bowl commercials 2024

Conversely, the worst Super Bowl commercials of 2024 lacked any clear goal or story. Despite many of them having some truly a-list star power behind them, the actual commercial and poor.

Snap

Social media giant, Snapchat produced an ad that tries to set it apart from other photo and video-sharing apps. It is (apparently) the app for authenticity. No faking, stripping back on the inauthentic content produced by influencers, just allowing people to be themselves, however weird and wonderful that may be.

Unfortunately, it’s just a bit hard to swallow. While it may not be a channel that’s all about the ‘likes’ and is more private, the ad doesn’t sell it. It may be because I work in marketing, I see friends and family using Snapchat daily, but I don’t believe it’s a more authentic channel and the commercial does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Squarespace

Talk about disconnected – what is this commercial actually saying? The only time the Aliens capture people’s attention is when they broadcast to their phones. So, people are always connected to their phones. How does this convince anyone to use Squarespace to create their website? Every time I watch this ad (and for the purpose of this article, I have watched it more than I care to) I just left with more questions. The biggest of them all: where does Martin Scorsese fit into it all?

Homes.com

Three days ago, I would have said Dan Levy could do no wrong. Then I watched this commercial. I just don’t get it. What are the benefits of using Home.com? Why are they in a salon? Why do they remove her eyebrows? What are they even saying?

Are Super Bowl commercials still worth the money?

No matter what, there will always be winners and losers during these kinds of events. In the UK, it’s the holidays, in the US, it’s the Super Bowl, but with so many people streaming movies and series these days, is it worth a $7 million price tag?

Well, I would have to say yes. And not just because I love reviewing them after the fact. There’s an excitement around them that can’t be denied. Viewing figures are at an all-time high. Plus, if Travis and Taylor stay together, we could be watching a damn dynasty being created before our very eyes.

Temu is a prime example of how valuable these commercials are to brands. The Chinese-owned ecommerce company spent nearly $21 million on ad slots and according to Google Trends data, it may have paid off. Web searches for the brand spiked when its commercials played.

On Apple’s App Store, Temu was in the top three most downloaded free apps, alongside Copilot and Paramount+, all brands that utilized the Super Bowl commercial slots. There’s no denying the power of the Super Bowl. The price tag is hefty, and paying superstars like Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, and Lionel Messi certainly adds to the production costs, but it’s still well worth the money.

To check out all the ads from this year’s Super Bowl (and years gone by), click here.

In this blog post, we will explore the differences between EDM marketing and email marketing to help you understand which strategy suits your needs best and when to use them to get the maximum impact.

What is EDM marketing?

Electronic direct mail (EDM) is a digital marketing strategy that marketers use to promote products or services to existing and potential customers who have opted-in to receive emails. It focuses on building and nurturing long-lasting relationships with current customers and potential leads. The primary aim of EDM marketing is to keep recipients engaged and informed, eventually driving them towards a specific action or goal, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a service, or attending an event.

What is traditional email marketing?

Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that utilizes email as a channel to distribute information and promote communication. This strategy targets a larger audience and includes newsletters, press releases, announcements, and promotional offers. The primary objective of email marketing is to acquire new customers, retain existing clients, maintain open communication with the audience, build brand awareness, and boost sales.

Understanding the key differences between EDM and traditional email marketing

While both EDM marketing and email marketing involve sending electronic messages, they cater to different objectives. Here are the most significant differences between the two strategies:

Personalization and targeting

EDM (electronic direct mail) uses data to target specific segments by delivering personalized and relevant content. This involves dividing the audience based on their interests, past behaviors, or demographic information, and tailoring the message to suit these segments.

On the other hand, traditional email marketing also uses email personalization and segmentation techniques, but the messages created are often more general to reach a larger audience. The goal is to appeal to as many recipients as possible without compromising the message’s effectiveness. 

Content strategy

EDM marketing uses customized content that forms a strong connection with the recipient. This could involve stories, insights, or exclusive offers that evoke an emotional response or provide value. 

In contrast, traditional email marketing uses content such as promotional offers, news, or updates about the brand, catering to a broader audience while still generating interest.

Metrics and measurements

The success of EDM marketing is determined by measuring engagement rate, customer retention, and the lifetime value of customers. It assesses how well the campaign builds a long-lasting relationship with the audience. 

On the other hand, traditional email marketing metrics typically focus on open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and bounce rates. This helps marketers drive immediate sales and enhance brand impact on a larger audience.

Combining EDM and email marketing for a holistic approach

Combining EDM marketing with email marketing can create an effective and all-encompassing marketing strategy. By integrating different tactics, channels, and approaches, you can create campaigns that resonate with your target audience, foster loyalty, and drive action and conversion. 

Here are some steps to help you successfully merge both strategies:

Define your objectives

It’s important to clearly outline the goals you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns. This could be increasing sales, engaging with existing customers, or expanding your audience reach. Having this clarity will enable you to make informed decisions about whether to focus on EDM marketing, email marketing, or both, depending on your current objectives.

For example, if your goal is to increase product sales while also engaging with your existing customer base, you might create an EDM marketing campaign with exclusive discounts for loyal customers. You can complement this with an email marketing campaign that promotes a site-wide sale for a broader audience.

Align your messaging

To create a consistent and memorable customer experience, it’s important to align your messaging, tone, and content across both EDM marketing and email marketing campaigns. This harmonization establishes a cohesive brand identity, making your communications easily recognizable to your audience. By aligning your messaging in both EDM marketing and email marketing, your customers can gain a clear understanding of your brand, offerings, and unique selling propositions, which sets you apart from competitors.

To achieve alignment in your messaging, it’s crucial to ensure that your brand tone of voice and style remain consistent across all communication channels employed in both EDM marketing and email marketing efforts. This consistency fosters trust and credibility with your audience, strengthens relationships, and increases the likelihood of achieving your marketing objectives, such as conversions, customer retention, or brand awareness growth.

Strategically integrate campaigns

Integrating your EDM marketing and email marketing campaigns can be extremely beneficial. By incorporating targeted content into your email newsletters, you can increase engagement. You can also use email marketing campaigns to create interest and drive engagement for exclusive offers or events.

For instance, if you are organizing an exclusive event for a small group and want to generate more interest and engagement, you can send an invitation to the rest of your contacts to join a waitlist to gain access to the event. 

This tactic not only grabs their attention but encourages them to opt-in for future communications and builds your email marketing list. You can categorize this audience based on their interests and keep engaging and targeting them in the future with relevant content.

Keep the cadence in check

To maintain a consistent and impactful presence in your audience’s inbox, it’s essential to strike the right balance between EDM marketing and traditional email marketing campaigns in your marketing calendar. 

To ensure that your audience is engaged and not overwhelmed, we suggest using a combination of EDM marketing and traditional email marketing campaigns. For example, you could send a monthly newsletter featuring personalized content and customized offers for the recipient.

Alongside this, you could send weekly email marketing updates that showcase general promotions, industry news, or company announcements. This way, you can maintain a comfortable pace for your audience and keep them up-to-date with your latest offerings.

The bottom line

In conclusion, while both EDM marketing and email marketing have their unique advantages, a successful digital marketing strategy requires a balanced and adaptive approach. By understanding the differences between these two approaches and knowing when to use each, you can optimize your marketing efforts and achieve your desired results. 

So, it’s important to assess your marketing objectives, target audience, and budget before deciding which approach to choose. By doing so, you can tailor your marketing efforts to effectively reach and engage your audience, and ultimately drive conversions and revenue.

This year’s Black Friday was influenced by a range of economic factors and channel developments, which emphasizes how essential it is to be aware of the evolving landscape. These factors included:

• High interest rates: As shoppers face financial pressures that impact their spending habits, you need to adapt to these challenges and recognize the increasing popularity of buy now, pay later (BNPL) and loyalty rewards options.
• Heavy discounting: Throughout the year, brands have adopted a more aggressive discount strategy than ever before. Encouraging customers to shop when they have already enjoyed many sales this year is a significant challenge.
• The Apple impact: Seasonal email marketing is now even more complicated thanks to Apple’s Mail Privacy Policy (MPP) and Link Tracking Protection (LTP). Not only does it make targeting more challenging, it makes measuring the success of your campaigns harder.
• ‘The fifth quarter’: Post-holiday promotions and seasonal clearances are more significant now as budget-conscious consumers seek deals and redeem holiday gift cards. This new ‘fifth quarter’ is another important avenue to capture additional sales.

With all that in mind, let’s explore some of the top trends we saw this year, dive into the numbers, and see what we can take away from the sales this year.

Black Friday trends 2023

1. The extended shopping period

The most prominent trend in 2023 was the extension of Black Friday deals. In the past couple of years we’ve seen a gradual extension beyond the traditional 24-hour sale window. But this year, even we were surprised to see brands beginning their Black Friday sales on November 1. Even more so that they continued them to the end of the month, six days after Black Friday.

Early access to sales is a tactic we promote to foster loyalty and engagement among your existing customers, but did brands go too early?

Normally, early access gives customers ample opportunity to peruse and plan their shopping activities. However, going too early can have the opposite effect. Rather than inspiring spontaneous action with limited-time offers, an extended sales period gives customers the time to talk themselves out of making a purchase.

Overall, Dotdigital experienced a 6% increase in emails sent over the whole month of November compared to 2022. Black Friday itself saw an 8% increase in email sends and the weekend as a whole increased by 2.5%.

2. Black Friday sales figures are strong

Merchants across the globe enjoyed all-round growth over Black Friday weekend, generating an 8.5% increase in revenue. This is an incredible feat, and during a time of financial uncertainty is something to be celebrated. Congratulations to all our ecommerce merchants who created engaging marketing campaigns that appeal to today’s savvy shoppers.

It’s even more impressive when we compared it to results reported by Barclays Bank which noted that transactions were down 0.63% compared to BFCM 2022. The same report also cited that the number of shoppers had fallen by 1.6%.

3. Email engagement increases

With shoppers looking for a great deal over Black Friday weekend, it’s no surprise that people of engaging with your marketing emails over this period. There has, however, been a lot of talk and speculation about Black Friday fatigue.

Customers are bored of getting the same messages over and over again (especially if you’re running your sales for a whole month). But, looking at the numbers, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

This year there was a marked increase in unique email open rates. Up by 11%, it’s clear that shoppers spent Black Friday 2023 perusing their inboxes looking for the best deal. The average open rate throughout the sales period, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, was an incredible 31%.
In contrast, we did note a decline in click-through rates, down 13% to 3.6%. Don’t worry, though. 2023 saw the launch of another privacy update from Apple, also known as Link Tracking Protection. While its impact on Dotdigital users is minimal, it’s important to be aware of it as you report on your 2023 Black Friday results.

4. Abandoned carts drive sales across the line

It comes as no surprise to us at Dotdigital that merchants are increasingly adopting abandoned cart programs. After all, a personalized abandoned cart campaign can increase sales by 31% and average order value by 16%.

Over Black Friday, we saw a 47% increase in the number of cart abandonment emails being delivered compared to 2022. This growth can be attributed to increased awareness among merchants about the benefits of implementing this automation program, as well as the continual improvements in Dotdigital that make it easier than ever to deploy personalized campaigns in real-time.

In the US, this marked increase in abandoned cart sends generated a 28% increase in revenue. This further emphasizes the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of this strategy. Brands that embrace abandoned cart automation are not only recovering potentially lost sales but are also experiencing a positive impact on their bottom line by boosting customer lifetime value and fostering stronger customer relationships.

5. SMS is an action-packed channel

SMS sends increased 19% month-on-month, indicating that early adopters are really beginning to understand the channel.

Text message marketing is a strategy designed to cut through the noise. There isn’t a noisier time of year than Black Friday and the ensuing holiday season. The uplift in SMS sends over the whole month of November is a clear indication that marketers see significant benefit from adding SMS to their marketing strategy.

There was a significant increase in the number of brands offering new subscribers discounts when they signed up for SMS. It’s a brilliantly smart tactic. SMS messages are fast to build and concise, perfect for communicating flash sales and exclusive discounts to loyal customers. Plus, offering discounts at the point of sign-up is a strong list-building tactic, encouraging shoppers to turn to SMS as a form of communicating with their favorite brands

What can we learn from Black Friday 2023?

Despite an extended shopping period and potential customer fatigue, merchants still experienced impressive sales figures, increased email engagement, and reaped the benefits of implementing effective cart abandonment programs this Black Friday.

As competition to capture customers’ attention intensifies each year, brands should focus on crafting innovative campaigns that stand out from the crowd and appeal to increasingly savvy shoppers. Real-time, moments-based marketing, like cart abandonment campaigns, is vital during these busy periods. The significant value of this approach is already evident, with increased revenue generated from these campaigns during Black Friday.

Black Friday 2023 has re-emphasized the need for brands to be proactive and adaptable, leveraging the power of personalization and real-time marketing strategies to maximize customer engagement and drive sales. By focusing on the whole customer experience, and paying close attention to consumer behavior and trends, you will be better equipped to create compelling campaigns.

Black Friday 2023 in numbers

• Global email sends increased by 6%
• Emails sent on the day of Black Friday increased by 8%
• The open rate for Black Friday weekend was 31.2%
• Open rates increased year-on-year by 11%
• The click-through rate (CTR) for Black Friday weekend was 3.6%
• CTR rates declined by 13% year-on-year
• Revenue generated over Black Friday 2023 increased by 8.5%
• The number of cart abandonment campaigns increased by 47%
• Overall revenue generated by abandoned cart campaigns increased by 4.5%
• SMS sends grew 19% month-on-month

Methodology

Figures for this Black Friday debrief came from data pulled from the Dotdigital platform. Comparative data (2023 vs. 2022) was pulled from a pool of Dotdigital users who were active during both time frames. We define active as using the Dotdigital platform to send email, SMS, or other marketing activity.

2023 Black Friday figures were based on activity from 00:00 Friday 24 November to 23:59 Monday 27 November across our three core regions: Australia, the UK, and the USA. They were compared against figures pulled from 00:00 Friday 25 November 2022 to 23:59 Monday 28 November 2022 across the same regions.

We’ve selected ten email and SMS examples from this year’s Black Friday marketing frenzy. These examples demonstrate how marketers can effectively engage their target audience, create a sense of urgency, and entice customers with time-sensitive deals. So let’s dive in.

1. Make your Black Friday email promotions pop with countdown timers

During Black Friday, customers receive a lot of promotional emails. To stand out from the crowd, marketers need to find ways to quickly capture their customers’ attention. One effective method is to use visuals and images to make emails more appealing. By incorporating visually attractive countdown clocks in emails, readers are more likely to engage with the content. These clocks help in keeping the message fresh in the minds of the readers which makes it harder for them to forget about it.

Virgin Atlantic’s Black Friday email provides a prime example of how to effectively leverage a countdown timer in an email marketing campaign. They ingeniously combined an animated countdown timer with a boarding pass, a visually attractive approach that made the brand’s email stand out from the competition.

This strategic use of a countdown timer significantly increased Virgin Atlantic’s email click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate, as customers were visually reminded of the fleeting nature of the exclusive Black Friday deals. When customers see the countdown timer ticking away and that an offer is ending soon, they are more likely to feel motivated to grab the discount before time runs out.

2. Use engaging and captivating MMS campaigns

During the Black Friday sales period, MMS messages can be a powerful tool to engage customers. With MMS, you can integrate images, audio, and video into your text messages, providing a more immersive experience that goes beyond plain text.

Starface is an expert in using MMS for Black Friday promotions. They create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time deals that are valid only from the message’s delivery until midnight. With discounts of 25% on patches, 50% on skincare products, and a buy-one-get-one offer, Starface creates an irresistible value proposition that grabs customers’ attention and encourages them to act quickly.

3. Give your Black Friday promotion a heartwarming twist

During Black Friday promotions, it’s easy to only showcase attractive discounts and deals. However, by incorporating a creative and heartwarming twist to your Black Friday promotions, you can truly capture the hearts of your customers. Such promotions go beyond mere financial incentives and tap into the emotions and values of the target audience, solidifying customer loyalty for the long haul.

To execute these promotions successfully, marketers need to understand what resonates with their audience and align it with the company’s core values. A heartwarming twist can mean supporting a charitable cause, giving back to the community, or providing exclusive, emotionally engaging content. The possibilities are endless, yet the objective remains the same: to forge a deeper connection with customers and inspire them to advocate for the brand.

Thortful, a card marketplace, added a unique twist to its Black Friday campaign. From November 24 to 27, they introduced “Thortsgiving”—a celebration that gives back to its creators. This unique take on a Black Friday message sends a powerful message to customers: Thortful is not just a place to buy meaningful cards—they are a tight-knit community that stands by its creators and supports small businesses.

By taking this approach, Thortful skillfully establishes an emotional connection with its customers. The campaign is an excellent example of how marketers can leverage holiday promotions to not only drive sales but also cultivate deeper connections while remaining true to its core values.

4. Create memorable copy

Writing memorable copy is important during the holiday rush. With so many messages fighting for attention, your goal should be to create copy that stands out and leaves a lasting impression. Use persuasive language to stimulate your subscribers’ curiosity and emotions, and create a sense of urgency that encourages them to take action. 

For instance, Coach was able to successfully target its SMS subscribers during Black Friday by weaving a sense of urgency into its message. They emphasized that it was the final chance for customers to save big on their purchases before the deals disappeared. The brand urged customers to act quickly and provided a convenient link to access Coach’s exclusive offers.

5. Creating a sense of exclusivity with VIP deals

A highly effective way to ensure customer retention and drive sales is by cultivating a sense of exclusivity through special offers just for VIPs or members. Providing your most valued customers with exclusive access to limited-edition products, discounts, or early shopping access can foster a sense of loyalty and privilege.

One noteworthy example comes from BH Cosmetics, who expertly crafted a Black Friday email designed exclusively for its valued members. The email promised BH Cosmetics’ VIP members an exclusive golden ticket, securing their spot on the priority waitlist ahead of other customers. This members-only campaign not only offered exceptional deals but also made its customers feel they were part of a special group, granting them special access to these incredible Black Friday offers.

6. Embrace conciseness and clarity

On Black Friday, shoppers are eager to find deals from their favorite brands quickly and effortlessly. With SMS messages having a limited character count, crafting concise yet informative content is essential. To optimize your Black Friday SMS marketing campaigns, focus on capturing the essence of your promotion clearly while delivering all the necessary information to your target audience.

BCBG’s SMS campaign demonstrates the power of brevity and clarity. During its Black Friday promotion, BCBG sent out a simple and clear SMS message to subscribers that provided all the essential information about the offer without overwhelming recipients with unnecessary details.

In just a few words, the message conveys the nature of the promotion (40% OFF EVERYTHING), the limited-time aspect of the offer, and a strong call to action (Shop now). Furthermore, by including a convenient link to access the sale, BCBG encourages recipients to click through and explore its website, thus increasing the likelihood of sales conversions.

7. Put your best graphics forward

One way to leave a lasting impression during the Black Friday email scramble is to avoid using basic, overused design templates. By creating a unique and cohesive design that stands out from generic email layouts, you can set your brand apart and draw attention to the content within.

Van’s Black Friday email campaign is an excellent example of how to merge innovative design with an engaging concept. Van’s email features a ski and mountain scene that seamlessly integrates a playful interactive game, neatly organized gift selections by price range, and a holiday playlist for recipients to enjoy.

Van’s embraces the Black Friday theme by incorporating unique black elements, such as the font and mountain illustrations, within its email design. This playful, clever approach celebrates the essence of Black Friday while preserving the brand’s distinct design aesthetics.

8. Enhance your campaigns with emojis

Emojis have become an indispensable part of modern communication, adding emotion and personality to text-based messages. If you incorporate emojis in your Black Friday SMS marketing campaigns, it can help create a more conversational and relatable tone, which can help differentiate your brand from the competition. 

For instance, Youth To The People used emojis cleverly to enhance its Black Friday SMS promotion. Youth To The People’s message added an element of excitement and visual appeal, making the content more eye-catching and memorable. 

The incorporation of the clock emoji not only delivers the sale information in a more visually engaging way but also adds an element of fun to the campaign. The emojis help reinforce the excitement surrounding the offer while also boosting the readability and impact of the SMS message.

When incorporating emojis into your SMS marketing campaigns, it’s essential to remember that moderation is key. Using too many emojis can overwhelm your audience, diminishing the impact of your core message and potentially leading to confusion or disinterest. Striking the right balance between visuals and text is crucial to ensure that your marketing communication remains clear and effective.

To achieve this harmony, consider limiting the emojis in your message to one or two highly relevant symbols that complement your text and reflect the sentiment you want to evoke. Place the emojis strategically within the message to emphasize crucial points or provide a visual break without cluttering the overall content.

9. Prioritize mobile optimization

With a staggering 76% of all Cyber Week ecommerce traffic in 2022 originating from mobile devices, marketers need to optimize their Black Friday email campaigns for mobile users. Ensuring that your promotional emails are responsive and displayed appropriately on a variety of devices will significantly enhance user experience and increase the likelihood of engagement, conversions, and success.

One great example of a mobile-friendly email campaign is MunchPak’s. It’s highly effective, with two prominent promo codes seamlessly integrated. The campaign also includes specific details about the offer’s expiration, ensuring customers don’t miss out on these exclusive deals.

10. Leverage last-minute reminders for increased action

Last-minute reminders are an effective way to make the most of the Black Friday hype and encourage customers who haven’t yet taken advantage of your promotion to act. By reminding them of the approaching deadline, you create a sense of urgency that prompts hesitating or last-minute shoppers to act before the offer expires.

For example, Nuts, a popular brand for nuts and snacks, used a last-minute reminder in its Black Friday SMS campaign. In this message, Nuts effectively communicated that it was the last chance to participate in its Black Friday sale. The use of a loudspeaker emoji further emphasized the need for prompt action.

When incorporating last-minute reminders into your SMS campaigns, make it clear that the offer is about to expire, creating a sense of urgency that prompts recipients to act immediately or risk missing out. This approach not only boosts engagement but also helps to capture sales from those who may have forgotten or overlooked your initial promotion.

Summary

To wrap up, the Black Friday promotions showcased in this blog post captivated our attention and stood out among the rest. You can take these outstanding examples as a springboard for inspiration when designing your upcoming email and SMS campaigns. In doing so, you’ll be better equipped to create captivating and engaging experiences for your customers during future Black Friday events.

1. Supercharge brainstorming with AI

Brainstorming sessions can be made more productive by integrating generative AI tools. Dotdigital’s WinstonAI can quickly sift through data to uncover trends and insights that can spark creative thinking in your team. This can help to overcome writer’s block and lead to discussions that generate fresh ideas. Be sure to make your prompts consistent and don’t hesitate to put your tool of choice to the test by asking it to deliver more creative ideas than previously. 

2. Embrace moments-based messaging

Moments-based messaging is a highly personalized approach to customer engagement, using AI technology to identify and capitalize on real-time micro-moments throughout the customer journey. By utilizing this method, you can ensure that your marketing campaigns consistently address the demands and desires of your customers, ultimately driving conversions and brand loyalty.

Here’s how you can make the most out of moments-based messaging in 2024: 

Use smarter segmentation

One effective way to optimize your marketing strategy is to use AI-powered segmentation tactics such as eRFM. By analyzing customer engagement levels, as well as the recency and frequency of their interactions with your brand, you can group customers into distinct segments. This helps you better understand their unique characteristics and preferences, allowing you to provide seamless customer experiences that resonate with your target audience on every channel.

Anticipate micro-moments with predictive analytics

AI-powered predictive analytics can reveal key micro-moments throughout the customer journey. These analytics can be used to categorize customers based on their probability of churning or their most likely date of next purchase. With this foresight, your marketing campaigns can proactively address a potential pain point or fulfill a need before your customer even realizes it. By utilizing predictive analytics, you can make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve.

Employ dynamic content

By using AI-powered dynamic content blocks, you can display catalog items that are based on your customer’s shopping and browsing behavior. This will make your emails and product pages feel extra special to the viewer. The dynamic content is generated in real-time, so the experience adapts and updates every time a customer returns to your site or email. This will help increase engagement and drive conversions.

3. Elevate your email content using generative AI

Generative AI can be a game-changer when it comes to creating email content that engages your audience. WinstonAI offers valuable insights to improve the tone of your emails, identify areas that may require additional information, and highlight opportunities to take your email campaign to the next level.

But that’s not all, WinstonAI helps you optimize your email subject lines. By analyzing data from your 25 most recent email sends, it provides three alternative subject lines that are tailored to your brand and campaign style. This personalized approach ensures that your emails stand out and increase your open rates.

4. Upgrade customer support with live chat and AI

Live chat has come a long way in recent years and its capabilities go beyond simple customer service inquiries. Now you can solve customer problems in real-time with live-chat widgets that you can add directly to your website. 

Live chat can customize responses based on customer profiles, history, preferences, and their past interactions. This not only improves the customer experience but also saves valuable time, and resources for marketers and removes the barriers to purchase. 

5. Craft timely connections with triggered messages

Using triggered messages can help you deliver a more timely, personalized, and efficient approach to engaging your audience. These messages, sent in response to specific user actions or behaviors, strengthen customer relationships by providing relevant and valuable content or offers at just the right moment.

For example, consider a customer who adds a product to their online shopping cart but leaves without completing the purchase. An automated message—triggered by cart abandonment—could be sent a few hours later, reminding the customer of their unfinished transaction, offering assistance, or even providing a limited-time discount to incentivize the purchase. This personalized approach not only enhances the customer experience but also drives conversions and fosters brand loyalty.

6. Optimize send times for maximum impact

Are you looking for ways to improve your email marketing campaigns in 2024? If so, you might want to consider send time optimization. The time you send your email could be the difference between someone reading and engaging with your email and someone ignoring it. 

Send time optimization is a strategy that can help you maximize engagement rates by automatically sending emails at the most opportune moments. This AI-powered technology analyzes your contacts’ historical click behavior and finds the best time to send your emails to ensure they are seen and opened. This means you can tailor your send times to specific segments within your contact database, ensuring that your message reaches your audience members when they are most likely to engage. 

By automating your email sends, you can save time and resources that would otherwise be spent on manual scheduling, and this will help you achieve consistently high engagement rates across your campaigns. 

Embrace AI and automation for a winning 2024 marketing strategy

As get closer to 2024, it’s more important than ever to harness the power of AI and marketing automation to stay ahead of the competition. With the help of these cutting-edge technologies, you can streamline your marketing efforts and improve engagement, leading to continued growth and success for your brand. So why wait? Start exploring the possibilities of AI and marketing automation today.

SMS marketing has become a game-changer for businesses looking to engage with their target audience effectively. From high open rates to quick response times, SMS marketing has proven to be a powerful tool. 

So, if you’re looking for a reliable marketing channel that delivers results, keep reading to find out why SMS marketing is shaping up to be the channel of the future.

The growth of mobile usage

According to a report by We Are Social, over two-thirds of the global population now own a mobile phone, and more than half of those are smartphones. With internet access at their fingertips, people are now spending more time on mobile devices than ever before. Statista reports that in 2021, the average time spent on mobile internet was approximately 155 minutes per day.

This widespread adoption of mobile devices has transformed consumer behavior and expectations. Smartphone users have come to rely on their devices for virtually everything – from communication to shopping and entertainment. The always-on nature of mobile phones has conditioned users to expect information to be available instantly.

With more and more people relying on their mobile devices, there has been a shift towards mobile marketing strategies. From SMS marketing to social media campaigns, brands are using mobile marketing to cut through the noise and reach their target audiences on the go. 

6 reasons why SMS marketing is the channel of the future

Let’s explore the six key reasons why SMS marketing is ready to dominate the marketing landscape and become the top choice channel for brands worldwide.

1. High open rates and instant delivery

SMS messaging has proven to be an effective way of reaching out to your target audience. Unlike emails that can get lost in the inbox or even be marked as spam, text messages get immediate attention. Research shows that 98% of SMS messages are opened and read within minutes of being received. This is significantly higher than email marketing, where open rates are usually around 20-30%.

One reason why SMS is so effective is that people have their phones with them at all times. Studies indicate that the average person checks their phone up to 150 times a day. Therefore, when you send an SMS campaign, you’re almost guaranteed to reach your target audience.

Another factor contributing to high open rates is the sense of urgency created by text messages. Unlike emails that can be ignored or deleted without being opened, text messages pop up on the user’s screen immediately and demand attention.

2. Tailored messaging for personalized connection

When it comes to marketing, nothing beats personalization and convenience. With SMS marketing, you can create messages that cater to your customers’ individual preferences and needs, making them feel special and unique.

By collecting customer first and zero-party data such as names, birthdays, and purchase history, you can create SMS messages that truly resonate with your audience. This level of personalization can help you build a strong one-to-one connection with your customers, boosting their loyalty and trust in your brand.

And that’s not all. SMS is one of the most accessible and convenient communication channels out there. No need for an internet connection – your customers can simply receive, read, and reply to your messages by texting back directly. This seamless communication experience bridges the gap between your brand and your audience, making it easier for you to engage with them and drive results.

3. Enhanced customer engagement with SMS and marketing automation

Marketers can significantly improve customer engagement by combining SMS with marketing automation. With automation, you can send timely campaigns to your audience, triggered by customer behavior or actions. For example, if a customer abandons their shopping cart on your website, you can automatically send them an SMS reminder with a special offer to entice them back.

Another way of incorporating SMS into your automation programs is by using ‘resends.’ If a customer hasn’t opened an email within 24 hours, you can switch the channel and trigger an SMS message instead. This increases your touchpoints and the likelihood that your message will be seen. Features like Dotdigital’s one-click SMS tool help marketers save time while giving their carefully crafted campaigns increased exposure.

4. Dynamic and interactive campaigns

Whether you’re looking to drive immediate sales, grow your subscriber list, or promote an event, you can adapt your SMS marketing to your campaign’s goal. From limited-time offers and flash sales to conducting polls and surveys, SMS campaigns allow you to engage your audience directly and interactively, driving desired actions from your customers.

You could even integrate multimedia messaging service (MMS) into your strategy. This will allow you to incorporate visual messages along with text messages. MMS enables brands to create more engaging, attention-grabbing, and vibrant messages compared to standard SMS messages, making a lasting impression on your audience and enhancing their overall experience.

5. Targeted opt-in messaging

SMS marketing is based on the concept of opt-in marketing, meaning your messages are only sent to customers who have given their explicit consent. This ensures targeted communication, eliminates wasted efforts on uninterested users, and enhances your brand’s reputation by respecting customers’ privacy.

While it’s essential to focus on your opted-in customers, it’s equally vital to provide an easy opt-out process for those who no longer wish to receive communications. This demonstrates respect for customer preferences and contributes to a positive brand perception and customer satisfaction.

6. Sky-high ROI with SMS marketing

Achieving exceptional results is the primary objective of any marketing campaign, and this is where SMS marketing truly outshines the competition. SMS marketing consistently provides an impressive return on investment (ROI) for brands, making it increasingly popular among marketing professionals.

One significant factor contributing to its attractiveness is the low cost per text message sent, making SMS marketing an affordable option for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, the ability to track analytics with ease ensures that marketers can monitor the success of their campaigns and adjust strategies as needed.

Future-proof your campaigns with SMS marketing

SMS marketing has become a popular marketing channel for many reasons. It has high open rates, provides personalization, seamlessly integrates with marketing automation, offers dynamic campaign capabilities, allows for targeted opt-in messaging, and boasts an impressive ROI. As a result, it’s quickly becoming the future of marketing. By embracing the potential of SMS marketing, marketers can establish a direct and personal approach to communication and establish a genuine connection with their customers.