In this issue of Plain Talk, we’ll build on past articles and discuss how the convergence of digital and traditional media and the increase in on-screen time have evolved media expectations, particularly for young people. We’ll then discuss how technological advancements and generational preferences have evolved to better support this digital marketing dinosaur. In doing so, we’ll argue that in this blended digital world we live in, YouTube banner ads should be viewed as online billboards, and thus they should be bought and measured primarily as top-of-funnel awareness tools… just like roadside billboards.

Healthcare workers left in droves during the pandemic, worsening staffing shortages that were already mounting. Retaining medical professionals is now more critical than ever. Discover how a strong internal marketing strategy can boost employee engagement, improve morale, and help your organization hold on to the talent it needs.

The doofus dad stereotype, which was a negative and inadvertent byproduct of the explosion in social change in the late 20th century, saw dads in not just ads but all media slide from their status as head of the household to the bumbling dads in popular TV series and commercials beginning in the mid-50s with Ralph Kramden. Just like purchasing a bad tie from Amazon or a bottle of cheap cologne, people only write about the doofus dad topic in the second and third weeks of June to commend Father’s Day every year. In this edition of Plain Talk, we’ll try to do something different. Instead of just complaining, we’ll discuss fathers in advertising and the shifts we see happening.

Ah, summer. The weather is warmer, schools are out, barbecues are firing up, vacations are occurring, and pools and camps are opening. All these good vibrations have a ripple effect, though, as they create behavioral, economic, and psychological shifts in society that financial institutions must be mindful of for a few months on an annual basis. But what better opportunity for strategic banks and credit unions to craft meaningful marketing strategies than a known period where society changes in a predictable manner for a finite time? In this issue of Compound Interest, we will some bank promotional ideas for summer that banks and credit unions can take advantage of.

When you think of Gen Z (age group 11-26) and media, a litany of words come to mind: social media, influencer, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, video games, Netflix, podcast, livestream, etc. But as far back as early 2017, research by Kantar Millward Brown found that 55% of Generation Z respondents view out-of-home (OOH) positively. This is consistent with their view of all traditional media (cinema 53%, magazines 51%). It’s also a whole 20 points higher than any online option (desktop display 32%, search 32%, and mobile display 30%). In 2018, AdAge/UNiDAYS affirmed this when they found “84 percent of Gen Zers surveyed said they pay attention to digital out-of-home ads in familiar media placements such as trains, malls, airports and taxis.” In this edition of Plain Talk, we’ll discuss why out-of-home (OOH) media is one of the most surprising Gen Z media trends and how to leverage it to reach this audience.

If you’re reading this article, you know that running a law practice is about as competitive an industry as there is. How competitive, exactly? Try 1.3 million lawyers in the United States today, according to the American Bar Association. Couple that with the Princeton University study that placed lawyers among the least trusted professionals in the U. S. and you can see why it can be a real challenge to convince potential clients that your firm is different. Enter media relations and the importance of building relationships with the journalists that can make a substantial difference in separating your legal practice from the overcrowded and under-loved field of opponents. In this edition of Plain Talk, we’ll explore law firm media relations. Learn how your practice group can grow public trust and relevance through productive relationships with the press.

Happy Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and an estimated 84% of U.S. adults will be celebrating this year. This day can bring a variety of emotions, and it can mean different things to different people, but at its core, it’s a day to celebrate the motherly figures in our lives and share our appreciation for all of the work, both visible and invisible, that they do every day.

Nurses play a critical role in our healthcare system, and National Nurses Week is a prime opportunity to show them you mean it. Recognition goes beyond a feel-good moment. Done right, it can strengthen your recruiting and retention efforts. Learn how to turn National Nurses Week into a strategic advantage for your organization.

Just about the only person in the world who hasn’t heard of ChatGPT, GPT-4, or OpenAI is this woman who quite literally has been living under a rock for the last 500 days. Depending on whom you are listening to, artificial intelligence (AI) is either going to put you out of a job, make you millions (if you follow some simple 10-step plan), or is the start of a technology apocalypse. In today’s Plain Talk, we’ll address the worries and excitement head-on. We’ll share what you need to know about the pros and cons of AI in marketing.

In March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank got clobbered, giving Wall Street the jitters and sending the press into a frenzy. Given this frenzy, we were curious if U.S. banks were cracking under the pressure of the 24-hour news cycle, so we sent out a simple one-question survey to bank CEOs across the country. “Will your 2023 bank marketing be less, about the same, or more than in 2022?” To our surprise, not a single bank that responded said that their budgets would be lower than those in 2022. Not one. In this edition of Compound Interest, we’ll touch on some quick tips for bank marketing budgets. We’ll also discuss why banks are not flinching and how smart marketing might be just the ticket for banks looking to grow in 2023 and beyond.