Finding relevancy in an age of constant distraction

Nhu Te on Apr 3, 2024 11:37:28 AM

075: Finding relevancy in an age of constant distraction

We are living in a constant state of distraction. There are so many things competing for the attention of our audience. From the 24/7 news cycle to endless social media notifications to the cluttered inbox, it can make marketers’ jobs even harder, right?

Noah and I have shined a light on this before. While it can feel overwhelming to keep up with these attention shifts, it presents an enormous opportunity for nonprofits to find their relevance and bring that focus to their mission.

Between brands reacting to Beyoncé’s new album or MoonPie bringing humor to solar eclipse viewers, this week’s brief will help spark some ideas on how to use cultural moments to connect with your audience.

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Snackable snippets

2024 digital media trends 📖
Deloitte digs into how consumers interact with digital media, giving brands — nonprofits included — insights on how to better position themselves in this quickly evolving space.

One key finding that stood out to me: fandom is core to people’s identity, and they tend to be more engaged than their more casual consumers. This characteristic can be directly linked to supporters and the missions they care about.

Brands are reacting to Beyoncé's new album 📖

Bey just released her much-anticipated “Cowboy Carter,” and dozens of brands like Verizon, Starbucks, and even Merriam-Webster seized the moment to get in front of her massive fanbase.

This is what we mean when we encourage you to find your relevancy. While your mission might not have a connection to Beyoncé's country album, there are other timely opportunities to consider — such as Mother’s Day and addressing policies highlighted during the Election season.

How nonprofits can navigate The Great Wealth Transfer 📖
The Great Wealth Transfer has been long poised to change the state of philanthropy, with baby boomers passing an estimated $90 trillion in wealth to their Generation X and millennial children.

The reality is that only a select group of donors will have the means to transfer to their children — enough to make a significant difference for nonprofits. Layered onto this is that younger donors won’t automatically inherit their parents’ giving tendencies, and it’ll take effort on the nonprofit’s part to nurture the relationship with meaningful content and experiences.

Experiment: Improving email CTR for non-members 📖
NextAfter tested whether or not adding three hyperlinked calls to action within an email targeted to non-members would achieve a higher CTR.

The experiment across The Heritage Foundation’s total sample size of 759,462 led to a 100.2% increase in clicks for all traffic. While CTA soared, the donation conversion rate stayed relatively the same for both control and treatment groups.

How to navigate relevance to serve your mission 🎧
The world has long known about UNICEF USA, but as more younger donors entered the fold, the marketing team realized it needed to refresh its brand identity to resonate with this new audience.

Shelley Diamond, Chief Marketing Officer of UNICEF USA, joins Noah on Good Marketing Unplugged to explain how her team found their relevance through internal alignment, audience assessment, and market research.

In the news

Media investment company Magna has revised its forecast for the US advertising market, now projecting a 9.2% growth to $369 billion in 2024, up from the previous prediction of 8.4 percent.

In particular, Magna believes that “digital pure players” will have the most to gain, with ad sales taking up 72% of the market share. This prediction further underscores the value digital marketing has on reaching target audiences and maximizing ROI.

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The solar eclipse is happening on April 8, and many excited enthusiasts (including me) have made plans to catch a glimpse of this every two-decade astronomical event.

Savvy marketers from brands like MoonPie and SunChips are taking advantage of this milestone by releasing exclusive products or content leading up to the eclipse, in hopes of garnering the attention of those keeping an eye on the celestial event.

For your inspiration folder

When a fundraising campaign is launched, a common tactic is to highlight how much needs to be raised and what the money will go toward, whether it’s a specific program or the purchase of special equipment.

Best Friends Animal Society takes a transparent approach by asking supporters to help check life-saving improvements off its wish list.

In its latest email appeal, Best Friends is asking for the community to help it collectively raise $637,000. But what stands out to me is its use of a notepad graphic that explicitly lays out improvements needed for the sanctuary. This empowers supporters by providing a tangible understanding of the goals and how they can contribute to Best Friends' mission.

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