What were the most popular blog posts of 2024?

This is more difficult to answer today than a few years ago because my posts are read in so many different places today. I don’t spend the time curating social media views across all the various channels (like Medium, Substack, and LinkedIn) but certainly can see when a post goes “viral.”

Here at least is an estimate of the most popular posts of 2024 based on post views.

1. How to Reimagine Universities for the AI Era

Although this post appeared just a few weeks ago, it was “boosted” by Medium and appeared on the front page of the platform’s website. There is some wild thinking here, and most people agreed with my view that colleges need a radical new start.

2. In Defense of Jaguar (I think I’m the Only One)

A post that caused a rumble, earning 17,000 views on LinkedIn. I almost didn’t comment on this car controversy, but so many people wrote to me to ask what I thought about it that I took the plunge.

This is a good example of “spiky” content. I posed a contrarian view, not to be contrarian but to expose a defensible argument.

3. The Real Reason Marketing Content is Getting Worse

The idea is that a creative dependency on technology limits people’s ability to innovate because they don’t know the craft. This hit a chord with people, resulting in hundreds of reader comments across the web.

4. The Biggest Threat to Free Speech and Democracy Isn’t Speech. It’s Amplification

There are so many arguments about protecting free speech and the limits of free speech but most people are missing the point entirely. The opportunity for vast amplification of any view was something the Founding Fathers never anticipated.

5. It’s Time to Create a Creator Guild

One of the major limits on AI progress is a lack of access to high quality content. I would happily turn over almost 20 years of content to my AI overlords for fair compensation. Wouldn’t you? Solves so many problems.

6. Ten Non-Obvious Social Media Trends

In my early days as a blogger, I commented on social media almost exclusively. I thought it would be fun to return to my roots and point to some trends that seem to be passing many people by.

7. How Blogging Changed My Life

2024 marked the 15th anniversary of my blog. I normally don’t dwell on the past but this was an opportunity to reflect on how far I’ve come as a blogger. While blogging might seem like the OG social media content, it is still as vital as ever and still growing.

8. Why AI Will Not Doom Marketing

Open AI founder Sam Altman blurted out that AI will easily and rapidly eliminate 95% of all marketing jobs. I don’t know AI, but I do know marketing and I had to point out why this is view is simply wrong.

9. How to be the Best Fake Possible

If I hear the word “authentic” one more time I think I’ll hurl. Do we really want authentic? It never crosses my mind when I watch a spectacular action movie created almost entirely by CGI. If I value spectacular in the real world, why not in the business world. Should we embrace the Era of Spectacular?

10. The Biggest Mistake Content Creators Make Today

This might seem like a click-bait headline, but it’s not. I’ve done hundreds of personal coaching calls, and 90% of the people I speak to have grotesquely sub-optimized their content because of this one mistake.

So that’s a wrap. I’ll add that my top five podcast episodes of the year were:

1. Why it was time to burn this community to the ground

2. Beyond Imposter Syndrome

3. Creating your signature story

4. What business are you in — really?

5. The inescapable role of humans in an AI world

If you’re a fan of the blog, I think you will love The Marketing Companion podcast! 

Thanks for being here, and here’s to a great 2025.

Need a keynote speaker about brand communities? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

Illustrations courtesy MidJourney

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So this is sort of weird.

Keith Jennings was a beta reader for my new book Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World (coming Feb 2025!). He was so moved and inspired by the book that he’s decided to make radical changes to reimagine his career. And unfortunately, part of that means taking a sabbatical as a co-host of my podcast!

I obviously hate to see Keith take the year off but I’m excited for his future and proud that my book had this profound impact on him.

This prompted us to devote his final episode to a discussion of career transformation. Both of us have reinvented our careers almost continuously, and in this show we consider three questions that enable relevant introspection:

1. Working ON something is very different than working IN it. Are you working on your career or in it?
2. Are you working at the top of your license? Are you so busy that it is keeping you from working at the top of your potential?
3. Are you working at the edge of your abilities? Are you in a trench of career sameness? Just mailing it in? Maybe it is time to unlearn what you’ve learned.

Keith always brings a compassionate, human view to the field of marketing and this episode will definitely challenge you to transform your career. Just click here to listen:

Click here to enjoy Marketing Companion Episode 303

Please support our sponsor, who brings you this amazing episode.

Bravo for Brevo!

This episode is brought to you by Brevo (formerly Sendinblue). Brevo gives you the tools to attract, engage, and nurture customer relationships.

Now any business can build automated customer experiences, email marketing workflows, and landing pages that guide your customer to your main message. We are here to support businesses successfully navigating their digital presence in order to strengthen their customer relationships.

Go to https://www.brevo.com/marketingcompanion to sign up for Brevo for free and use the code COMPANION to save 50% on your first three months of Brevo’s Starter & Business plan!

Illustration courtesy MidJourney

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by Mara Singer, {grow} Community Member

Without authenticity, you cannot connect; without connection, you have no consumer relationship.

Over the past year, my research on generational differences in perceived digital authenticity has found a few golden marketing nuggets. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and settle in, because I will share my findings concerning the four consumer generations, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers.

Gen Z: The Digital Natives’ Playground

Let’s kick things off with the youngest consumer crowd on the block – Gen Z. These tech-savvy youngsters were born with smartphones in their hands (okay, not literally, but you get the idea). In order to gain their digital likes, you need to be their friend, but they are the “authenticity police” and spot a fake from a digital mile away. The key is to make your message short, sweet, multi-sensory and funny.

• Connection is King: Gen Z sees influencers as their BFFs from afar. It’s like having a cool older sibling who always knows what’s up. Without that connection, there is no trust.
• Authenticity Detectors: One of the most fun pieces we gleaned from our research is that Gen Z knows they can smell a fake from a mile away and appreciate influencers who keep it real. They can’t always tell you why someone is not authentic or deceptive, but they are completely positive they can sniff out a fraud.
• Edutainment Enthusiasts: They love learning new things, but it better be fun and multi-sensory. Just listening or reading is WAY too boring for Gen Z.  They want to take in all the sights and sounds at the same time, otherwise they will simply move along to the next flashy lure.
• Humor is the Secret Sauce: If you can make a Gen Z’er laugh, you’ve won half the battle. That circles back to the first point: if I laugh with you, we must be friends.

Takeaway:  When targeting Gen Z, focus on creating genuine, relatable content that educates while entertaining. Collaborate with influencers who can maintain an authentic, friend-like presence. Don’t be afraid to inject some humor and personality into your brand voice!

Millennials: The Digital Adopters

Now, onto the avocado toast lovers – Millennials! These consumers remember a time before social media but have fully embraced the digital world. Interestingly, they do not want to connect as much as they want an expert to dish out edutainment. For Millennials, influencing and marketing are equivalent professions and they want, no expect, to a certain degree of professionalism or they just cannot take you seriously.

• Integrity is their Jam: They want influencers who walk the talk and stay true to their values.
• Expertise Matters: Millennials appreciate influencers who really know their stuff.
• Professionalism Expected: They see influencing as a legit profession and expect a certain level of polish.
• Authenticity Balancers: They value realness, but with a professional edge.

Takeaway: For Millennial audiences, showcase your brand’s values consistently. Partner with influencers who can demonstrate expertise and maintain professional credibility to strike a balance between being authentic and polished, yet still entertaining.

Gen X: The Balanced Act

Gen X might not get as much attention, but they’re quietly rocking the social media world. Gen Z are the bridge between Baby Boomers and the “kid consumers,” retaining the value of quality and expertise expected by Boomers but enjoying the entertainment of social media. That said, flashy and catchy don’t sell for Gen X, and, in some cases, even erode perceptions of authenticity. Gen Z are much more balanced in how they consider the authenticity of social media content, appreciating expertise above honesty and shared norms. Interestingly, they have no interest in original content when deciding if something is authentic, so forget the muti-sensory overload if you are targeting the ‘80s babies.

• Masters of Balance: Gen X considers multiple factors when judging authenticity.
• Skills Pay the Bills: They highly value influencers who demonstrate real expertise.
• Substance Over Style: They’re not easily swayed by flash and pizzazz. Quality content matters more than flashy presentations.
• Originality Appreciated: Gen X loves content that stands out without trying too hard.

Takeaway: When marketing to Gen X, focus on providing substantial, skill-based content. Avoid over-hyped messaging and instead demonstrate real value and expertise. You can be original, but don’t go overboard with unnecessary frills.

Baby Boomers: The Traditional Touch

Last but not least, we have the Baby Boomers. They might not be the first adopters, but they’ve got their own unique take on social media. Like Gen X, Boomers have no faith in sparkly, shiny marketing. Although they may appreciate original content, it does not mean anything to them in terms of authenticity. Be a humble expert if you want to gain their trust.

• Integrity is Everything: They want influencers who demonstrate strong moral principles.
• Skill and Expertise Reign Supreme: Boomers appreciate a true master of their craft.
• Humility Goes a Long Way: They’re not big fans of show-offs or over-the-top personalities.
• Personal Connection is Secondary: They don’t need to feel like besties with every influencer they follow.

Takeaway: For Boomer audiences, emphasize your brand’s integrity and expertise. Partner with influencers who demonstrate mastery in their field while maintaining a humble approach. Focus on delivering value rather than trying to be their new best friend.

The Authenticity Balancing Act

Here’s where the findings get really interesting. Across all generations, there’s this delicate dance between accuracy (being truthful and transparent) and humility. The younger crowds tend to value accuracy more, while the older generations put more weight on humility. It’s like a social media seesaw!

This insight presents a unique challenge for marketers aiming to reach cross-generational audiences. Striking the right balance between being openly authentic and maintaining a sense of humility is key to resonating with diverse age groups.

So, whether you’re trying to make Gen Z laugh, impress Millennials with your expertise, provide substantial content for Gen X, or demonstrate integrity to Baby Boomers, you’re now equipped to play the social media generation game like a pro!

Mara F. Singer is a Ph.D. Candidate in Public Communication & Technology at Colorado State University. Her research focuses on perceived authenticity, fandom, and generational differences in modern communication. Mara will continue her marketing research as she teaches business communication at the University of North Texas’s G. Brint Ryan College of Business.

Illustration courtesy Unsplash.com

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I recently saw a post touting the importance of a “timeless content marketing strategy. As I read the article, my response was, “Yes… but.” It occurred to me that there are many exceptions to the “rules,” and maybe it’s time to disrupt the traditional notion of content marketing. Let’s see if you agree.

Today I will repeat the elements described in a post as the timeless content marketing strategy and challenge conventional wisdom.

1) Define clear buyer personas.

Buyer personas can be very helpful in large, far-flung company with complex agency relationships. Having a target customer in mind can keep everyone on the same page and focused on content that serves the market.

However …

Creating content meant to serve made-up people can be stifling. Chances are, your closest competitors have drawn up the same personas. So you are all creating the same content for the same made-up people. There might be a small SEO advantage to this, but if you’re trying to break through the noise and create something worthy of attention, being a slave to personas simply creates a pandemic of dull.

Personas can be self-limiting in another way. In our fast-changing world, customers are evolving. Even long-held values and norms are changing. Focusing on one personality type, or even ten of them, can ignore new needs and new customers coming into the fold. In my upcoming book Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World (Feb 2025), there’s an interview with Kory Marchisotto, the CMO of e.l.f. cosmetics. She said:

“When I came into e.l.f., every marketing guru, every marketing advisor, everybody on my personal board of directors told me I had to create a customer persona. Every textbook said the same thing: ‘Go create a persona. Put e.l.f. in a box: Alpha is a person who carries this handbag, she does this thing, she shopped at this store.’

“And my gut instinct was to do a manual override. Creating personas just seemed so wrong for this brand. I was reading letters from 60-year-old women, 8-year-old kids, teenagers, and no one person is a ‘persona.’ We’ve taken a stand that e.l.f. is for every eye, lip and face. That is the lighthouse that guides us, and that is also an enormous responsibility.

“We don’t draw borders and boundaries around our customers.”

Think carefully about how personas can limit the creativity and reach of your content marketing. Don’t just follow the guru rules.

2) Develop a content calendar.

Again, this might be a good idea for the largest companies, especially if content requires lengthy legal approvals. But it also imposes two significant limits on content marketing effectiveness.

A few years ago, I was working with a healthcare company that followed a content calendar. But since they had their heads down in a prescribed content calendar, they were focused on National Pencil Day and missed a critical opportunity to comment on relevant legislation passed in their state. Don’t be so wedded to a content calendar that you never look up to see what’s happening in the world.

The second issue is the advantage of timeliness. Plenty of research shows how engagement on content topics degrades over time. For example, I wrote some of the first articles exploring how ChatGPT could be used in marketing. These posts attracted many shares, downloads, and comments. If I had published these ideas just two or three weeks later, they would be old news and far less effective.

Timeliness matters. Fresh ideas matter. To get the most traction for your posts, you need to jump on ideas early, which usually means abandoning whatever was prescribed on the content calendar.

3) Leverage SEO best practices.

In my digital marketing university classes, I explain that there are two high-level content marketing strategies: 1) win SEO or, 2) develop authority and earned subscribers.

What’s the chance I can own one of the top two search results for “digital marketing consultant?” This is a highly saturated field. Competitors have much deeper pockets than me. Just not going to happen.

But could I create content that serves people instead of algorithms and build a mailing list of people who are vitally interested in what I have to say? People who would hire me? I have an excellent chance of doing this.

Add to this issue zero-click Google results, the competition from AI search, and other complications, and it’s easy to conclude that for many companies, a focus on “authority” over “SEO best practices” makes more sense.

SEO gets you visitors. Authority gets you believers.

4) Use a mix of content formats.

This depends on the size of the company.

If you’re a large brand seeking an omnichannel presence and have the budget and agency relationships to do it, then yes.

But if you’re a small company, a startup, or a solopreneur, then absolutely no. To stand out today, you have to be great. And you don’t have the time and resources to be great in 10 places.

My recommendation to small businesses is to fish where the fish are and, at least at first, focus on one, or at the most two, content formats. If you decide on video, then double down on video and then triple down on it to earn your audience.

I’ve probably studied audience-building strategies more than anyone else earth. There are millions of tips and tricks, but there is only one strategy above them all. There is no close second. And that is, focus on quality. Everything else is just noise in fancy marketing pants.

You might trick somebody into clicking a link. But you can’t trick drive-by visitors into viewing your content or subscribing to it. You must earn that, and that only comes through quality. You can’t growth-hack your way to trust.

If you have any resources devoted to content marketing strategy, do NOT go wide by trying to be everywhere. Go deep and create unmissable, vital content that serves customers well in one way.

Stop trying to be everywhere and start being essential somewhere.

5) Regularly analyze and optimize.

I actually agree with this one, and this is historically a problem for many businesses. We are often so busy creating that we don’t dive into the numbers to learn, evolve, and grow.

History won’t help us predict the future. If you’re in marketing, you’re waking up to a new customer reality every day.

Data can help us learn about what connects to customers to help us serve them better, at least in the short-term.

Timeless content marketing strategy?

The biggest problem with being wedded to the “timeless marketing strategy” is that the more you’re obsessed with a persona, an SEO plan, or a calendar, the less you’re reacting to change.

Speed might be the biggest driver of marketing success today, but we don’t talk about it enough. A lot of the timeless marketing strategy ideas are handcuffs when you need to be responsive.

I’m also concerned that the word “quality” isn’t mentioned in this formula. Too many marketers are obsessed with the game. Stop chasing algorithms and start creating something worth following.

Sound about right?

Need a keynote speaker? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

Illustration courtesy Unsplash.com

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The other day I checked in on Twitter (Still can’t bring myself to say X) and saw this tweet:

About a year ago, Twitter started injecting tweets into my “notifications” stream from people I don’t follow. So, I don’t know Faith Back Rub. Never heard of the account before. And yet, Twitter’s algorithm somehow thought this was one of the most important things for me to see that day.

The message I received was “a famous American football player slammed a presidential candidate.” And then I went on to something more interesting in my busy day.

But then I thought about it a little more: this celebrity American football player is usually non-political. He makes millions in product endorsements and podcast sponsorships. This statement seems uncharacteristic. So I went back to the tweet and clicked on the actual Kelce message:

Now my reaction was — well, this is a verified account. Looks like Travis Kelce really did take a clever swipe at Trump. Surprising. But what is this “Parody by Rub” thing in the corner? Is this real or not? Now, I had to dig to figure out what was going on. And here’s the truth:

This did not come from Travis Kelce, but how would I obviously know that? Remember how this showed up in my news feed: There was no indication that this was fake news when it was displayed to me. I read the headline and moved on.

As it turns out, most people who clicked through were fooled by this tweet, even though it was identified as a “parody.” I know this because there were nearly 1,000 comments on this tweet, most of them Trump supporters blasting Travis Kelce — who had nothing to do with this opinion.

And this is the true problem with social media. The threat to our society doesn’t necessarily come from what people say, it comes from algorithms amplifying disinformation.

The implication of amplification

Everybody has a right to say what they want to say, even if it’s incorrect or controversial. When the American Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution, even the most powerful and compelling voice back then could only hope that somebody would read their pamphlet or hear a speech. Information spread slowly, and mostly, locally. Even a juicy conspiracy theory couldn’t get nationwide attention very easily.

But today, damaging content can spread instantly and globally. And that puts a new spin on the issue of free speech.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said there is a limit on free speech: “You can’t yell ‘fire’ (with no fire) in a crowded theater.” But today, anybody can yell fire, and it can impact the opinions of hundreds, thousands or even millions of people. Amplification matters. Amplication is the threat. Why isn’t anybody taking responsibility for this?

Social media companies must be accountable

Let’s think through the case study I presented today.

• Twitter’s algorithm—no human being—decided to amplify news clearly marked as fake into user news streams without indicating that it was a parody (the first screenshot above).
• Based on the comments, two-thirds of the recipients of this tweet thought it was real, or 342,000 people.
• But that’s just the beginning. This fake news was retweeted 7,700 times!

This example was relatively harmless. The parody tweet probably caused Travis Kelce some irritation, but maybe that goes with the life of a celebrity.

However, what if this amplified fake tweet was devastatingly serious?

• What if a “verified account” called off evacuations in the middle of a hurricane?
• What if a fake account said every computer was hacked and would blow up today?
• What if the tweet accused Travis Kelce of beating up his girlfriend Taylor Swift?

My point is that Twitter and any other platform that employs algorithms to knowingly spread false claims should be held accountable.

In a recent interview, author and historian Yuval Noah Harari made this comparison: People can leave any comment they want on an article in The New York Times, even if it’s false. But amplification from social media companies is like the newspaper taking a bizarre, false comment and putting it on the front page of their newspaper.

That’s irresponsible and dangerous to society. Nobody would stand for that. And yet, we do.

Aim at amplification

As we enter the AI Era, the danger of fake news and its implications grows profoundly.

Let’s cut to the chase — Twitter knowingly lied to me to increase my time on their site and benefit its bottom line.

While it would be nearly impossible for any platform to monitor the comments of millions (or billions) of users, it’s much easier to hold companies accountable for spreading known false information to innocent people. This is a simple first step to protect people from dangerous falsehoods.

Why is nobody talking about this? Addressing bot-driven “sensational amplification” is a much easier fix than trying to regulate or suppress free speech. This must be a regulatory priority.

Need a keynote speaker? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

The post The biggest threat to free speech and democracy isn’t speech, it’s amplification appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.

The hottest marketing topic in the world right now is Nutter Butter.

And that’s the point.

Nutter Butter, the sixth most-popular U.S. cookie brand, has upended TikTok with unhinged videos that cross horror movies with an acid trip. Here’s an example:

@officialnutterbutterTHE DAYS–when. .plow? original sound – nutter butter

This might seem like an inexplicable, or even dangerous, way to promote a cookie loved by children. But this strategy aligns with research I’ve done for my new book (“Audacious,” out January 2025). In the context of modern marketing, this strategy is bizarre but also brilliant.

Today I’ll explain why the Nutter Butter campaign is more than chaos.

The biggest problem in marketing today

… is attention.

We live in a world awash with content. Our ads don’t just compete with other ads. They compete for attention with Netflix, Candy Crush, and photos of the new grandkids on Facebook.

And this war for attention grows even more desperate with AI. AWS reports that already more than half the content on the web is AI-generated slop.

To break through this incredible wall of noise takes something bold … maybe even a little crazy. So let’s start there. Nutter Butter needs awareness for its brand and is taking a risk to be audacious.

Purpose behind the outrage

This campaign is getting so much attention because it’s unsettling, perhaps even horrifying. But there is a method behind this madness.

Jonah Berger, a Wharton marketing professor and author of one of my favorite books, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, identified emotional connection as one of the key factors influencing content virality. He explained that when we care deeply about something, we are more likely to share it with others and remember it.

Jonah’s research showed that content that evokes strong emotions, whether positive or negative, is more likely to be recalled and talked about than content that is purely informational or emotionally neutral.

Virality is most associated with high-arousal emotions like excitement, awe, anger, outrage, and fear. Yes … anger, outrage, and fear.

Another company embracing anger and outrage is the fast-growing water brand Liquid Death. It created its brand by starting with WRONG —  Naming its product Death. Selling water in cans emblazoned with skulls. Adopting gruesome images as its brand vision. Collaborating with porn stars and other alternative niches. And in three years, this brand went from nothing to a valuation of $1.4 billion.

The bizarreness effect is a facet of human memory suggesting that we better remember things that deviate from the norm. This phenomenon is also known as the “von Restorff effect” or the “isolation effect.”

One of the highlights of my new book is the idea that most marketers typically focus on positive emotions. By highlighting fear and outrage, Liquid Death and Nutter Butter are tapping into an overlooked strategy to increase awareness and relevance.

The world wants weird

The Nutter Butter campaign is on TikTok for a reason. Gen Z likes brands that go their own way, and the weirder, the better.

• A study by the market research company Ipsos found that 65% of Gen Z respondents believe that “being true to yourself” is more important than being popular, compared to 43% of Millennials and 35% of Gen X.
• Research by the advertising agency Wunderman Thompson found that 70% of Gen Z respondents believe that being different is a good thing, and they prefer standing out from the crowd.
• A Live Nation study showed that 82% feel “weird is in” and 58% say the more absurd something is, the cooler it becomes.”
• Much has been written about the rise of absurdist Gen Z humor that baffles older generations. The weirder, the better.

So the unexpected weirdness of the campaign might not make much sense unless you’re part of Gen Z.

Is Nutter Butter “on brand?”

Some of the criticism of this campaign is that this is just too weird for a cookie brand. These horrifying images are off-brand.

Well, let’s start with a question: When you think of the Nutter Butter cookie, what IS the brand? That’s what I thought. Nothing comes to mind. You probably haven’t had one of these cookies since you were a kid … if you’ve ever had one at all.

My point is that Nutter Butter has no meaningful brand recognition and has nothing to lose by stepping into Crazy Town.

Would this work for Coke or Nike or Apple? No, because these companies actually have brands. Nutter Butter had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

If a cookie competitor like Oreo created insane videos like this, it would be truly off-brand. So Nutter Butter is turning its weakness —  it has no brand meaning — to its advantage by owning the weird.

And it worked.

Here’s a funny thing. If you search for Nutter Butter on TikTok, it’s actually hard to find the ads because there are so many influencer posts talking about the ads and directing their followers to the account. One influencer video garnered 3 million views alone. In a few weeks, Nutter Butter has added one million new TikTok followers. Each video is receiving thousands of comments and shares.

So, the brand is suddenly relevant, in the middle of the culture, creating conversations. What a success story.

It’s also getting attention from the general public. Here is the search interest in Nutter Butter over the last year, according to Google Trends:

The nightmarish campaign is receiving tons of mainstream media coverage, including The Today Show and Fast Company. The cookie chaos has spawned numerous reddit popular threads trying to interpret what it all means.

Is it having a financial impact on the brand? It’s too soon to tell, but it’s hard to imagine that it’s not experiencing a significant sales boost from all this attention.

Is it sustainable?

Is this a stunt or a strategy?

I think it’s too smart to be a stunt. My guess is that there is actually a narrative here. There are characters, codes, themes. I think a subcult of people will devote themselves to unraveling the mysteries and Nutter Butter would be wise to keep the momentum going with actual clues and rewards.

It will be interesting to see how all this madness might spill over to their packaging. What would happen if they had a special edition Nutter Butter Man package? There are a lot of ways they can go with this. If they keep this madness going and there is some underlying depth to a storyline, it would be sustainable.

Here’s the lesson

To stand out in the world today, competence doesn’t cut it. Competence doesn’t create conversations. Competence isn’t culturally relevant.

If your marketing is competent, it’s ignorable.

Nutter Butter is no longer ignorable because they have stepped off the cliff and taken a dive into audacity.

What you’ll learn in my new book is that you don’t have to be horrific or shocking to be audacious, but you do have to disrupt the marketing patterns in your industry. With the help of some of the world’s most renowned creative experts, I’ll teach you how to disrupt your marketing narrative.

I can’t wait for you to see the new book … and I also have a new speech on this topic!

Need a keynote speaker? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

The post The Nutter Butter campaign explained. Yes, this nightmare makes sense appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.

On vacation in Italy, I visited a lovely wine shop in Florence. So of course, I wanted to talk to the owner about marketing (can’t help myself). The proprietor had a lovely place filled with antiques and art — such an interesting, visual environment! And yet, she wasn’t on Instagram. In fact, she didn’t use social media at all, a personal decision that certainly goes against the grain.

“Everyone tells me I should be posting,” she said. “But I don’t feel comfortable with it and would rather spend my time talking with customers.”

She spread her arms to indicate this sacred space where she sits in her shop, sipping wine with customers. “This is what I love about my business.”

Obviously, this anti-social media strategy has worked well. Her business has been growing for 18 years, built on her reputation of quality products and personal attention.

Sometimes, you can’t just listen to the gurus. Marketing is often a personal decision.

And I’d like you to consider this alternative thinking as a possible competitive advantage …

Marketing lemmings

The biggest problem with marketing, and especially social media marketing, is that “best practices” are so well known and so easily absorbed. Once a new competitive trick is discovered on a social platform, it spreads like wildfire and becomes part of everyone’s normal practice.

For example, the “shocked look” video thumbnail pioneered by Mr Beast:

Leads to this:

I’m not judging whether this is good or bad. It probably works on some level. But it all looks the SAME.

My point is that by going your own way, following your muse, and ignoring conventional wisdom, you can evolve into your own competitive advantage simply because when it’s YOU, it’s different.

Go your own way

I was an early adopter of social media marketing. In 2006, as part of my corporate marketing duties, I led an early social media team and started my own blog a few years later.

And I was a big rule-follower. I desperately tried to fit in and follow all the best practices of the day. I dutifully created my strategic, SEO-optimized content for my “ideal customer personas.” And two things happened.

First, nothing happened. Nobody was reading or commenting on my content.

Second, I became bored. What was I doing? Creating keyword-infused content for a made-up persona? Blah.

So I stopped.  And I started telling my own story, following my curiosity, expressing opinions (even when they went against the grain), and breaking the shackles of Google-driven content.

And something amazing happened.

When I went my own way, instead of finding my ideal audience, my ideal audience found me. And they were all over the world. When I decided to be a real person, real people responded back, and it changed my career.

There is no way this would have happened if I had stayed in the social media trough of best practices.

It was a powerful lesson, and since then, I’ve broken rules all along the way as I’ve written my books, created The Uprising, and established a speaking career. That personal decision to have your own little rebel yell doesn’t mean you’re reckless or offensive. But it requires courage to show up differently when boring is the path of least resistance.

The personal decision and marketing

Are you in a marketing trough? Are you so focused on what other people are doing that you’re overlooking your unique value and inherent creativity?

More importantly, are you happy and excited about your work, or are you becoming bored with all these rules, as I was?

Stop trying to game the system and start being unapologetically you. Because in the end, people don’t connect with keywords or personas. They connect with stories, passion, and real human beings who have something genuine to say.

There is a place for best practices, but don’t overlook the power of going your own way, especially when most marketing is so dull. There is tremendous pressure to do what everybody else is doing. It might seem scary not to follow the crowd. But that might be your most powerful and meaningful differentiator.

Need a keynote speaker? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

Illustration courtesy of Austrian National Library and Unsplash.com

The post Sometimes, marketing comes down to a personal decision appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.

Have you heard of social object theory? I think this is one of the most overlooked and even undiscovered marketing ideas. In fact, social objects are probably fueling a great deal of your marketing success!

Social objects come from a theory proposed by sociologist Karin Knorr Cetina. It creates a remarkably simple and useful ignition point for a word-of-mouth marketing effort.

You’re at a party, feeling awkward and out of place. Suddenly, you spot someone wearing a t-shirt from your favorite band. Bam! Instant connection. That t-shirt? It’s a social object – a conversation starter, a reason for people to interact.

Social objects are the glue that binds us together in the vast and often impersonal digital landscape. They’re the videos that pause our scrolling, the memes we can’t wait to share, the unique products we rave about to friends. A social object is anything that serves as a focal point for social interaction.

Without an object to trigger a topic, we’d have nothing of substance to talk about.

• When a stranger approaches someone and asks about their stylish shoes, the shoes are the social object.
• When people attend a marketing activation, the Olympics, or a music festival, the event is the social object.
• If you share this book with someone or post it on social media (yes, please!), the book becomes a social object.

Here’s where things get interesting. Many marketers view their content strategy as the starting point for a conversation, and it certainly can be. But if we broaden our marketing perspective to think of social objects as the “catalysts for connection,” we unlock endless new possibilities.

This is a topic worthy of more exploration, and Keith Jennings and I did just that on the new episode of The Marketing Companion. But we did more than discuss an idea. We started a master class on this idea as marketing strategy, unraveling critical components such as:

• gravitational pull
• critical mass
• emotional meaning

… which seem to be prerequisites for success. You won’t want to miss this extraordinary discussion!

Click here to enjoy Marketing Companion Episode 297

The story behind the photo: I love the comedy/drama Lilyhammer and especially the hilarious chracter Torgeir with his quirky hat that says “I Heart Girls.” I just knew that some day I would be able to work this into a blog post! Certainly, this hat would be considered a social object!

Keith Jennings first wrote about social objects in this post.

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Go to https://www.brevo.com/marketingcompanion to sign up for Brevo for free and use the code COMPANION to save 50% on your first three months of Brevo’s Starter & Business plan!

The post Exploring the overlooked world of social objects appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.

A member of my RISE marketing community felt a bit stuck after blogging for a year. It occurred to me that I had not written about basic writing tips for many years, so let’s do that today.

Blogging still plays an important role in the digital marketing ecosystem, and it’s also a lot of fun. Here are some tips to re-energize your blog. Some are refreshers, some will be new to you …

1. Write “upside down,” meaning, tell the reader immediately what this story is about. Don’t make them work or they will leave. This is a non-obvious blogging tip because it is the opposite of what we’ve been taught in school — start with the introduction and work your way to the conclusion. Start your blog with the conclusion first.
2. Remove every word and sentence that doesn’t move the story along. Mark Twain famously quipped, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Remove the fluff!
3. Read it aloud. If your post doesn’t sound like your natural voice when you read it out loud, re-write it.
4. Add your own story. This is a noisy world (and AI is making it worse!) To stand out, you have to be original, and to be original, you really have just one choice: Add your own story, perspective, and passion to the post. There’s only one you. If you have the courage to show your heart, you’ll stand out.
5. Be spiky. Publish something that can be challenged. Don’t be controversial for the sake of it, but offer an opinion that’s debatable. I wrote about this in detail here. There is no better to re-energize your blog than stirring up a little sh@t.
6. Help, don’t sell. I know some gurus encourage you to have a call to action in every post, but I disagree. Why would I subscribe to content that just sells me something every time? Serve the reader.
7. Double down on quality. You can trick somebody into clicking a link, but you can’t trick them into reading it or subscribing. If you ask any creator what drives subscriptions, they’ll respond, “quality.” I don’t use AI to create my posts, but if you’re not a natural writer, use AI to brighten your content through better editing, tone, and style.
8. Don’t overlook headlines. The most important part of your content isn’t the content—it’s the headline. People will decide to click or not based on their first impression. Don’t make it an afterthought.
9. Stick to a lane. Determine the content that best supports your personal brand and your learning journey and focus there or you will confuse the reader.
10. There’s no great writing, only great re-writing.

Re-energize your blog and don’t quit

In my Personal Branding Master Class, I take participants on a deep dive into the role of content and the importance of consistency and patience. I thought I would end my post today with my favorite quote about blogging success.

Sisters Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman started the “A Beautiful Mess” blog in 2007. The blog covers home decor, crafts, recipes, and lifestyle tips. Today, they oversee a profitable media empire.

But their success never would have happened if they had not started the blog and kept going. This is the quote from Elsie Larson that I love:

“I built a readership over the course of many years. I focused on quality posts that take a lot of time to write and develop, being consistent (I’ve been posting almost every day for several years), and being myself. The blog evolves as I evolve; it’s slow and steady. Nothing happened overnight. I have never paid a penny to advertise ‘A Beautiful Mess;’ I just kept doing my best and a readership developed over the years. It’s the product of hard work, constant evaluation, and lots of love.”

That sums it up, folks. Quality, consistency, slow and steady. The winning formula to re-energize your blog.

Need a keynote speaker? Mark Schaefer is the most trusted voice in marketing. Your conference guests will buzz about his insights long after your event! Mark is the author of some of the world’s bestselling marketing books, a college educator, and an advisor to many of the world’s largest brands. Contact Mark to have him bring a fun, meaningful, and memorable presentation to your company event or conference.

Follow Mark on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram

Illustration courtesy MidJourney

The post Re-Energize Your Blog: 10 Tips You Didn’t See Coming appeared first on Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}.