Kathryn Butler

Calling all #creatives (designers, photographers, CDs, UX folks, etc.) in my network! Please fill out a brief (<10 min) anonymous survey from Zero Waste Creatives that will become part of a public report called Creative Voices Heard: 2024 Report. The survey aims to "shed light on how creative makers are *really* doing while navigating the industry and how the dynamics of their teams, workplaces, and client relationships support or hinder our craft." Please help Fe Amarante (brilliant human & defender of authenticity) get a pulse on the forces shaping creativity as we know it 🎨 ❤️ <<Link in comments>>

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Some people are into vegetables. And some people are REALLY into vegetables. ( Im not either of those people...) Check out some fun new work me and Kyle Douglas Harrison got to make with Instacart!! As a freelancer, it’s so amazing to see your work come to life, especially when the idea starts as, “what if we make a campaign about people who are, like, weirdly into vegetables? That could be funny, right?”” Check out the whole series here! #advertising #work #creativeindustry #instacart #design

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Nope, it's not live yet. From Danny: "We're only doing manual actions right now. The algorithmic component will indeed come, as we've said, but that's not live yet." I have heavily covered the crazy volatility beginning on 5/3 and beyond, since it looked tied to the March core update. There are many sites impacted then that were also impacted by the March core update (including some full reversals from the March update). It sure looks like Google decoupled some algorithms from broad core updates and rolled them out separately. And as confirmed by Google yesterday, it's not the algorithmic part of "site reputation abuse" update (yet). Stay tuned. #google #seo

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Toys R Us have just produced the first 100% AI ad. https://lnkd.in/e23irHk3 It's had quite the backlash but my view is the creative is good for Toys R Us – it’s bright, it’s magical, it’s using AI for things that wouldn’t look better shot in real life (flying toys etc). The boy looks pretty computer generated but has Toy Story vibes – the first computer animated movie. It's kind of perfect for a brand that sells cheap plastic toys from China. (Plus kids have zero taste. The more computer generated the better. Also, toys IRL – creepy.)   AI won’t produce ads like https://lnkd.in/eWW746bv   Brands that want to create differentiation via cultural cut through will avoid 100% AI imo – it will quickly become a prestige issue - like PG Tips using talent like Steve McQueen as director. It does unlock creativity too and we'll start seeing creative agencies using a lot of humour poking fun at CGI and AI – while using it. The more outlandish the better - https://lnkd.in/ewKvHn2E

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What are your favorite resources for leveling up your demand gen knowledge? Demand Collective is currently building out a content repository featuring our favorite resources in one place so our members can learn from the people in our space who aren't just influencers speaking hollow self-promo, but from the actual practitioners. As a community of Demand Gen marketers, we're always working to lift each other, rising tide and whatnot. Connecting DG folks with the resources I wish I had when starting out is a key component of that. Be sure to share in the comments! Tag your favorite creators or link to your favorite courses, etc.

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Health privacy is breached every day online. Most Americans don’t realize their Amazon info is being aggregated with Google searches, news browsing, FB/Instagram/TikTok posts & more. So our entire online experience, including health, is being sifted for marketing. Two LDI fellows, Ari Friedman and Matt McCoy, showed how hospitals and abortion clinics are just as likely as others to track users and pass on the info to aggregators. Check out this LDI piece that lays it out. #https://lnkd.in/eetqaPi3

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E-Commerce Innovation! Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I see a lot of brands chasing headlines and ignoring communities of young people who could be developing early brand affinity - instead they just feel misunderstood. Digital twins provide so many amazing opportunities but a 1:1 representation of the stuff you buy IRL to the digital stuff you have lacks magic. Instead, infuse some whimsy into digital twins or get a little weird with them. #roblox #socialgaming #brandedgaming #brandedgames

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To the people in my network who have experience working with influencers and creators specifically for paid ads: I'm interested to know how you go about negotiating usage rights and what is a standard/common rate for you to agree to? The rates I've been quoted by agencies/creators in the past just aren't feasible and wouldn't generate anywhere near a positive ROI so would be interesting to hear other people's experience of this. Thoughts?

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If you're in DC — I hope to see you tomorrow at WeWork 200 Massachusetts Ave NW - DC! I'm leading 'From Content to Clients' a free 90-minute workshop for WeWork members but open to the public. If you're struggling with inconsistent lead generation and converting prospects into paying clients — pull up! Want to scale your business sustainably while staying true to your unique strengths and expertise? During the "From Content to Clients: Attract Your Ideal  Leads and Clients through Content Marketing” workshop, you'll learn the proven strategies I've used to help countless entrepreneurs, consultants, and professionals across industries attract their ideal clients, close premium deals, and grow their businesses authentically. - Craft an irresistible magnetic marketing process that converts - Implement streamlined systems for sustainable growth while keeping your sanity Whether you're a lawyer, nonprofit leader, startup founder, or communications maven, you'll walk away with an action plan to communicate your value, fill your pipeline, and scale your impact and income. If you've ever struggled with creating content that resonates with your target audience, positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your industry, or finding the right tools and strategies to optimize your operations, this workshop will be a game-changer for you! I'll guide you through the essential keys to building a thriving lead-to-client pipeline that positions you for the growth and success you deserve.

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Today's ad review is here! I just checked out this ad for Phenology's Daily Balance gummies, and it's a solid example of effective advertising. Let’s break it down: Headline: "Searching for Menopause Relief? Meet Phenology." Product Highlight: Hormone-free symptom support. Key Benefits: - Reduces night sweats. - Eases brain fog. - Fights fatigue. - Alleviates hot flashes. Visuals: -Clear and professional product image. -Simple and clean layout highlighting benefits. What’s Working: Clear Value Proposition: Directly addresses menopause relief, making the product’s purpose clear. Strong Visuals: Professional and clean, enhancing credibility. Engaging Copy: Short, concise, and to the point, highlighting key benefits effectively. Overall Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ This ad is visually appealing and communicates its message effectively. A clear call-to-action and some social proof could make it even better. What do you think? Have you tried similar elements in your ads? Let’s chat about it! #AdReview #Marketing #MenopauseRelief #Advertising #MarketingTips

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Love this excerpt from the Rework Podcast. It's a little long, but if you're currently contemplating risks or challenges, take a minute to read this. It's good to question "truths," it's good to push yourself, and it's good to "fail." It's all good, and it's part of the journey. "I think one of the books where just even the title made a huge influence of me was the book, the Half-Life of Truths. This idea that there are all these scientific truths that essentially expire, that they expire because we develop better knowledge, better insight, better truths, and then the thing you knew from 10 years ago is no longer true. And I think if you’ve been in business, we have for over 20 years, undoubtedly we will have taken all these positions about like, oh, you shouldn’t do this or you should totally do that, and they’re no longer true. They were true in 2006. They were true in 2012, not true in 2024. How are you going to find out unless you try? How are you going to find out unless you push it? I mean, I actually think of sometimes if you see that video with the Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics where they try to push the robot over, they even use a stick to do it. Think of the organization as that Atlas robot. Try to push the organization sometimes. It should, not all the time, but occasionally you got to push at it. Is it good? Is it resilient? Can it take a step back? Can it take a step forward? What can it do if you put it under a little bit of pressure? And then again, sometimes you’re granted this pressure for free because crises have a way of showing up at your doorstep uninvited. But when they do great, everything’s great. Invite in a crisis, awesome. Total success, awesome. Flat line for a while. Awesome. All of the outcomes are awesome if you choose to make them so." https://lnkd.in/gkN_6fPu

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We have a responsibility as an industry to put out truthful messaging and to make sure consumers can trust what we're telling them. Greenwashing undermines consumers trust and the companies investing in change, and stopping it starts with us. The Institute for Advertising Ethics Green Shield is a 100% free course that you can complete in less than an hour. Enroll today at https://lnkd.in/gMs7GgKw #ESG #Sustainability #AdvertisingEthics #Ethics

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Gen AI can't do it all, but it's a good start. This is a great article for marketers, creatives, and product designers. https://lnkd.in/gKAFNdVu #generativeAI #genAI #artificialintelligence #modernmarketing

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In today’s installation of how to walk the bold advertising talk that for so many is just talk, I give you the new campaign from Impossible Foods and Erich and Kallman. And it’s bold in approach and execution. Its point of view (from my point of view) is a big, bold step away from the usual plants are good/meat is bad eco-rhetoric of veggie burgers. For Impossible, it’s not that plants are as good as meat. It's not that plants are better than meat. It's that plants ARE meat. Now that's bold statement. It goes again everything we’ve ever been taught to be true about taxonomy, starting with when King Philip Came Over From Germany Saturday. And it’s not just the traditional advertising that reflects their strategy. Impossible has adopted meat culture in all of its carnivorous excess. The redesign sports the reds, yellows and whites of McD’s, BK, and Wendy’s, with nary a whimper of tree-hugging eco green or faux-organic flowing type. They’re putting on a hot dog eating contest. They converted a cattle ranch into a plant meat ranch. They are doing meat stuff. It's smart. And It’s more than bold marketing, it’s bold branding. Which seems appropriate, since meat is where the term branding comes from in the first place. https://lnkd.in/ezuQyyrd

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If I were leading brand/marketing at a social impact org today, here’s what I would do (in this order, no rebrand or website overhaul required): 1. Take a deep look at niche/positioning (do we have a clear niche/unique approach that sets us apart from other orgs?) 2. Develop capacity and workflows for in-house creative content production and distribution (choose 1 discovery and 1 nurturing channel and do each well). Focus on 3 content pillars: - case for support (why your cause matters) - impact storytelling (showcase human impact) - calls to action (invite your community to get involved, not only donation appeals) 3. Set up open channels of feedback from your community (build a culture of listening and curiosity) Repeat steps 2-3 consistently and revisit your niche yearly (may not always require iteration but don’t just set it and forget it) Rebrands and website overhauls can be super valuable (trust me, we do them all the time) but the 3 steps above are equally important.

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On my 57th rewatch of Sex and the City, my overarching thought is this: “I’m so jealous they’re living in a world without smartphones.” 👀 My latest article on slocial media, the resurgence of Pinterest, and how apps like Diem, Sunroom, Landing and Communia are here to save us. https://lnkd.in/eBtF62ZU

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Everything you need to know about B2b storytelling is in this video. https://lnkd.in/guF98wJ6 Surprisingly, it’s the same as for humans everywhere… #brandstory #thedrama

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