Musings | Muse by Clios

A Look Inside Plymouth Rock’s ‘Bostonians’ Campaign

David Gianatasio — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 04:00:57 +0000

Any time you’re referencing Three’s Company in a client presentation, you’re winning.

The assignment was a familiar one, creatively. But challenging from a production standpoint.

Plymouth Rock Assurance needed a TV campaign to highlight their New England sports sponsorships with the Bruins, Patriots and Red Sox. Great assignment! But we didn’t have the luxury of shooting individual ads covering each team. So, how do you get baseball, basketball and hockey messages to comfortably co-exist, in an ongoing construct, over many executions?

We knew we’d be able to feature the logos and mascots. Likely a Patriots cheerleader. Possibly, Bruins hockey announcer Jack Edwards for a cameo. Maybe a player—at some point. Those were the ingredients we had to cook with.

As we dove into the concept phase, we thought, “What if we had characters that represent each team? And have them all, inexplicably, live together, In a house, where they talk about nothing but sports and insurance? Could that work?”

We mulled classic sitcoms like Three’s Company, Seinfeld and Welcome Back Kotter. And even Adult Swim’s internet smash “Too Many Cooks.”

The sitcom format could allow all these different characters—”the gang,” in genre parlance—to-intermingle with no rhyme or reason. That seemed like a fun, conceptually sound solution. Plus, few cities are more sports-obsessed than Boston. Hockey fans are football fans are baseball fans. So, even though they might see the commercials during a Bruins game, they’d be happy with a Patriots or Red Sox reference. Ultimately, we decided to put every sport in every spot.

Of course, if you’re doing a sitcom, you need a theme song. We didn’t have the budget for a bespoke music composition. But fortunately, I’m an ASCAP songwriter and the team trusted me to take a swing at it. And I had my longtime collaborator Tom Polce (of the legendary Boston band Letters to Cleo) produce the music with jazzy genre flourishes.

We produced six spots in the first campaign (“Season One” in 2022). They rolled out over the course of baseball, football and hockey. The feedback from the client, teams and fans was positive. A year later, they greenlit “Season Two.” At that point, we added Bruins defenseman and Norris Trophy finalist Hampus Lindholm.

Now, any creative who’s ever shot athletes will tell you: It’s fun and exciting to meet the players, but it can be tough to get good performances. And “The Bostonians” format required dialogue in every spot. On top of this, Hampus is Swedish. English isn’t even his native tongue. Uh-oh, right? Well, actually, no. Hampus is pretty darn hilarious, personable, open to direction and was happy to do the necessary all the takes over a full day of shooting. If this hockey thing doesn’t work out for him, he might have a solid “Plan B” on camera. With Mr. Lindholm’s presence adding to the festivities, “Season Two” felt even bigger and better than the first.

A simple advertising truth: It’s extremely hard to a) find a construct that works over many, many executions and b) have a client stick with that construct over time.

But our team at Plymouth Rock—Brad Baker and Amber Dempsey—have been champions of “The Bostonians” campaign since the start. Additionally, we’ve been able to keep the core cast—Paul (the Minuteman), Jimmy (the groundskeeper), Landon (the Ice Cleaner) and Sam (the sister)—together.

We’ve even had access to the same Brady Bunch-style home location, too. I mention this continuity because “Season Three” (2024) was produced under unique circumstances where that familiarity was much appreciated.

As work for the third installment got underway, the agency I founded, HeyLet’sGo, where “The Bostonians” started, was in the process of being acquired by Rival. We were in production as the deal got done.

So during the acquisition—a time of massive change—we had this familiar, steady campaign as one of the first projects completed at the new agency.

New team? New agency? No problem. “The gang” was coming with us. Like the theme song says: “Knock-knock, come on in. They’re the Bostonians.”

The post A Look Inside Plymouth Rock’s ‘Bostonians’ Campaign first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Why We Made Our Agency a Safe Space for Odd Ducks

Amy Corr — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Our accountant was raised by wolves.

Well, not really raised by wolves. But he does raise and rehabilitate packs of wild wolves on his ranch in a remote territory of Colorado. While that may not sound like an important feature for someone who spends the majority of their waking hours punching calculators and organizing spreadsheets, I assure you, it is.

It’s no accident that this type of person found the field of advertising. In no other industry does the beautiful collision of personal identity and life experience matter more. Because humans from unique backgrounds have the uncanny ability to connect with other humans from unique backgrounds. They digest information differently, analyze problems from different vantage points and can offer a form of cultural commiseration that others cannot.

In a business model built on the expertise of providing genuine perspective, it is essential that agencies ensure that each team member brings more to the table than just college degrees, portfolio school formulas and an affinity for marketing buzzwords.

Street-level knowledge and life experience run far deeper than the stringent policies of the corporate machine. Which is why, in an industry largely touting black belts in the ancient practice of Bullshittery, agencies should be placing more emphasis on mining insights from the minds of their own people.

At a small agency like Colossus, for example, we believe that it’s imperative to surround ourselves with as many perspectives as possible. Take Penelope De La Rosa, a young account coordinator on our team. Before joining Colossus, she starred alongside Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2 and as Lorena on Showtime’s SMILF. Despite being brand new to agency life, her experience as an actor has given her the confidence to command a room with the poise of someone far more experienced.

Our GM of design, Allison Waters Doherty, is another case study of this approach in action. On the side, Allison runs a high-end, concierge-level beekeeping business. In the agency world, Allison is known as a collaborative force, adept at taming clashing opinions and complex problems through simple and organized solutions. Her hive-mind approach to problem solving is remarkable to watch.

Even our IT department fits this description. These unspoken warriors of the code aren’t typically highlighted in such articles, but allow us to introduce one Mr. Jim Smentowski. Not only is Jim an IT specialist, but he is also a former team captain from the TV show, Battlebots (yes, really). Before piloting his infamous, heavyweight robot Nightmare to numerous victories, Jim worked at Industrial Light & Magic. And now, he’s the guy we complain to when “this f#cking thing doesn’t work.” Network hiccups and Creative Cloud crashes are small potatoes for a man who spends his free time in the ring alongside ax-wielding automatons.

Culture makes the work great. And to harness culture, you have to invite it in with open arms, build it a cozy nest and let it take up residence organically. It cannot be forced, but it should be welcomed.

All that said, it’s not just our past lives that matter. Diversity in life experience, socio-economic background, geographic location, gender identity, race and religion all add to our ability to authentically communicate with our audience. Which may explain why we’ve been a magnet for such a wonderfully diverse, eclectic group of talented humans.

While Colossus is an agency of just 30 people, we are the home to a former standup comedian, professional boxer, birthday party clown, graphic novelist, dumpster diver and licensed mushroom forager. And in an act of total happenstance, a quarter of our team are first-generation Americans—with their parents migrating to the U.S. from Portugal, Thailand, Ukraine, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Puerto Rico and Guatemala.

In a recent interview with a potential junior creative, I asked the candidate to tell me about his life before and outside of advertising. “I’ve always wanted to work for an ad agency, even when I was little,” he replied. “I’ve never done much else.” The frown on my face must have revealed my disdain for that answer. After further conversation and some gentle prodding, he disclosed that he “also makes elaborate ball gowns for drag queens. Mostly out of pool noodles.”

“Bingo,” I replied.

The post Why We Made Our Agency a Safe Space for Odd Ducks first appeared on Muse by Clios.

How a Rock Concert Highlighted the Value of Trust

Amy Corr — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen is one of my favorite singers. I got a rare chance to see him and the band in Chicago recently. I bought my ticket months in advance and got to the venue early, ready for a great show. But as the band began to play, it was clear Ian was suffering from a raw throat. He struggled during the early numbers, then left the stage after 45 minutes.

Not knowing if he was coming back and thinking of all the time, expense and anticipation I’d invested in the show, I started feeling disappointed. But then he suddenly came back onstage and broke into another song. He was soldiering on, driving the audience wild, and giving us all he had! His voice weakened toward the end of the show, but rather than getting irritated, the crowd hit the high notes for him. In the end, it was a glorious and memorable night.

This musical experience reminded me of something that is easy to forget—the value of trust. The positives seem obvious enough since it’s easier to buy into trusted brands.

But a reservoir of goodwill can also help see a brand through stormy weather, be it a PR crisis, social media mishap or product recall. Here’s how:

Customers come to your defense: Trust can give brands the space they need to recover.
Media is more sympathetic: Trust can lead to a more positive framing of the bad news.
The investment community stays confident: Trust can help keep things less volatile by lowering the odds that investors will “sell the news.”

Earning Trust with Consistency

Building trust is an investment. Brands like Hermes, renowned for their dedication to the finest details of design, and FedEx, innovators of overnight delivery, earned it with smart choices over many years. In pharmaceutical marketing, with shorter competitive windows, time is not on our side. However, the road to trust can be found via a simple and insightful rubric from Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton: Set an expectation, meet or exceed it, do that consistently.

Show Sincerity

Our work in the oncology sector highlights the power of building trust as a strategic and operational imperative. A client with a reputation as a generic products manufacturer with competitive pricing was looking for growth in the face of a far more prominent and respected competitor. The cancer community was increasingly demanding more from their providers. To elevate the client’s position, we launched a branding campaign aligned with their vision to transform cancer care, focusing on the message that every patient is seen as a person first. This approach provided a more intimate, personal portrayal, a stark contrast to the anthemic and company-centric approach of the category leader.

To make this expectation a tangible reality, the client took proactive steps to enhance their operations, including improving patient and healthcare provider support programs. These efforts, along with other marketing and internal initiatives, resulted in a 25 percent increase in oncology sales and a noticeable improvement in the client’s reputation. When it comes to earning trustworthiness, it all comes down to what you say AND what you do.

Small Gestures Pay Off

With all that scientists and marketers need to address, the idea of building trust can sometimes seem like a luxury we cannot afford. As with most things in life, however, even small gestures can pay big dividends down the road. So always look for opportunities to give your “trust tree” stronger roots. Like Echo & the Bunnymen, you just might build a loyal fan base that gives you the benefit of the doubt when things don’t go as planned.

The post How a Rock Concert Highlighted the Value of Trust first appeared on Muse by Clios.

This Olympic Committee Reboot Provides Lessons for Underdog Brands

Amy Corr — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:00:03 +0000

Growing up, competing in the Olympics was always a dream of mine. As I finished my D1 running career at the University of Illinois at Chicago, that dream faded like a cloud of smoke from the starting gun of a race.

But as I entered advertising, it was amazing to see that it wasn’t just my legs that could take me there; creativity was my way into this amazing experience.

And while the Olympic stage helps the world come together around sports, too often, it’s a tale of the haves and have-nots. Especially when talking about the 184 nations sending athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

If you look behind that number, there is a disparity in access to equipment, Olympic Committee staff and marketing funds. In light of such disparities, I believed I could make a difference working with a smaller nation.

After speaking to Jabari Michael-Khensu, a runner and mentee of mine, about this desire, I was introduced to the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC). I was able to use my expertise to help support the country.

What we ultimately accomplished was a complete retooling of the SVGOC brand, including a new Olympic Crest, motto, fan gear and pins. We also aligned them with a track and field sponsor.

Our lessons can be applied across every sector, unlocking creativity that scales.

COMMUNITY

While I am not from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I sought out friends who were born and raised there to help educate me about the country. My Vincy friend Burton and his family played key roles. During lunches with them and my wife, I learned about the significance of the three diamonds that make up the SVG flag; came to appreciate the St. Vincent parrot—which is only native to the island; and absorbed the fighting spirit of the Garifuna, who defended against the British in the First Carib War.

This underscores the importance of first-party research and why having honest conversations with members of the community is so important. The ability to immerse myself in history, taste the food and hear folklore helped guide many decisions during the project.

Often, brands rely solely on syndicated data, removing humanity and nuance critical to breaking. Instead, they should expand their research, regardless of whether they have a big budget. Mine the comment sections of social posts and invite community members into the strategy phase! Nothing can replace deeply understanding your audience.

FLEXIBILITY

The Olympic Standard applies to more than just the times and distances it takes to get into the Games. It also applies to brand design and approvals. We had to be highly flexible as we approached the design aspects of the Olympic Crest and how we captured content around the fan gear.

Initially, we planned on creating photos and videos of the gear we produced in St. Vincent. However, due to Hurricane Beryl—which tragically left many locals without power or even homes—we pivoted by working with a U.S.-based Vincy photographer. Denise Stephanie Hewitt brought a new vision to life that reflected the excitement and pride of fans living far from the island.

You don’t need to be married to one idea. When faced with the unexpected, brands must embrace the power of the blank page. While scary, there is an opportunity to rewrite a narrative and deliver impact.

TEAMWORK

Working alongside my project partner Jacob MacDonald, we built workstreams, bounced ideas and provided encouragement when things didn’t go as planned. We brought in I’ve Got Dreams to assist with elevating the design and worked closely with Bandit Running on our track and field kits. This collaborative effort was instrumental in achieving our goals.

Brands must understand that a team of players can include people outside their organization. Also, having motivational figures beyond technical expertise helps with stamina throughout projects like this one, which was over two years in the making.

If you’re looking to be triumphant in a category where you’ve been underestimated, think like an athlete—and apply the principles of underdog heroism to the brand banner. Inspiration and motivation can come from places you least expected, no matter what game you’re playing.

The post This Olympic Committee Reboot Provides Lessons for Underdog Brands first appeared on Muse by Clios.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Taught Me That Ad Agencies Are Ridiculous

Muse — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Let me tell you about the moment I realized how poorly agency life had prepared me for a job in advertising.

It’s 2019, and I’m the new marketing director at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I’ve come to this job after 18 years at ad agencies, leading both creative and media teams.

It’s my chance to slow down, to “be more focused,” I tell myself. Sure, I miss the creative anarchy of agency life, but I’m also comforted by the HoF’s slower pace, smaller budget, and what I assumed would be less-sophisticated expectations.

I have just presented my marketing plan for one of the biggest exhibits in the museum’s history. It’s a beautifully complex, technically sophisticated plan. I am standing back, a little impressed with myself, ready for questions.

“How did you calculate your cost per completed view?”

“What is the anticipated timeline for your color-correct?”

Tough queries I am more than capable of answering.

Then, I am presented with a scenario that no amount of agency experience could have prepared me for.

“What’s your plan if it rains?”

Sophisticated, but not too smart

I was always an enthusiastic agency worker. I loved telling people what I did and fully bought into the lore. “Agencies move fast!” “Agency life is never boring!” “You go to the brand side when you want to make more money and slow down.”

My job at the HoF relieved me of these notions. But it also taught me a lesson: agencies are ridiculous. And we need to wake up before all the good brands take their work in-house.

I say this with love. But it’s a truth we need to grapple with.

We know that no one watches a :30 video. So, why do we still create them?

We know that we can’t skip lame social ads fast enough. So, why do we still put brand spots on TikTok?

And why are we struck dumb the moment someone asks a practical question like, “What if it rains?” Or worse, why is our first reaction to assume the asker doesn’t “get it?”

You know what has the biggest impact on an exhibit opening? Not some clever executional target definition. The weather. And until that moment, I had put zero thought into how it would affect my plan.

I was the one who didn’t get it. But I was too “sophisticated” to know it. And therein lies the problem—and hopefully, a solution.

Sophisticating ourselves to death

Agencies are incentivized to impress brands with their complexity. If they think the problem is here, show them that the actual problem is wayyyyyyy over there—and the only way to fix it is via our proprietary software.

That sophistication breeds process. And layers. And billable hours. And it keeps building and building until we can’t see over the wall of BS we’ve created.

If we don’t get some perspective soon, we will be committing creative suicide.

A simple solution

In 2023, I re-entered agency life determined not to fall back into the same old habits. I’d be lying if I said I fully succeeded, but I’ve had one big win. Within my current agency, we’ve created a team of “non-agency” thinkers. People not bound by billable rates or internal reviews or even job titles. They just think. And do. Until it works.

Naturally, this team scores when paired with clients who are “brave” enough to execute ideas simply because they are awesome. But they’ve also forced us to pop bubbles, to reverse ingrained thinking, and weave real-life questions into meetings. They cannot solve all our problems, but they are an oasis of human, BS-free thinking, reminding us that complex solutions are rarely the most effective ones.

Because sometimes, the answer is just a tent.

The post The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Taught Me That Ad Agencies Are Ridiculous first appeared on Muse by Clios.

How Our Agency Turned Meetings into Must-Watch TV

Muse — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:10:00 +0000

“Cue lights. Ready camera 1. Standby for host entrance. Ready camera 2. Standby audio. Standby graphics. Let’s roll the opening title sequence in 3, 2, 1—cue video. We’re live!”

This might remind you of a TV studio or control room. Picture the flurry of people with headsets directing cameras as screens pop to life with that unmistakable video magic.

Now, picture all of that taking place within the confines of an ad agency.

Welcome to MOSHO: the live, hour-long TV show we produce every few months to celebrate our agency’s people, culture and accomplishments—filmed with a studio audience and broadcast live to our global offices. Internally, MOSHO is known for celebrating our Klicksters, philanthropic efforts, engagement activities, agency wins, cultural highlights and achievements.

We used to host quarterly Mojo meetings with the same mission, each one led by our Toronto, New York or Philly offices and streamed across Zoom.

Unfortunately, not everyone was feeling the love. At the start of 2024, agency execs Dave Holmes and Glenn Zujew saw that our Zoom viewers weren’t feeling the same energy as our live audience members.

Dave and Glenn brought me into the fold to help figure out how we might leap from running a Zoom meeting to producing a broadcast-level show. I knew we had the technical chops to rise to the occasion. However, creating a shared “Klickified” global experience would take a village, so we gathered our various specialty teams. We challenged ourselves to make sure every Klickster felt connected and deliver:

The same energy to both in-person and remote audiences;
Dynamic content that is memorable and people-first (goodbye, slides!)
The feeling of intimate connection despite having a global audience of 1,500 across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

Dave and Glenn also called our attention to the best-in-class live shows that achieve all three of these promises. Oprah and Jimmy Kimmel make us feel like we’re in the room, no matter where we’re watching from.

We developed a live TV talk-show formula with a high-energy host, engaging segments, guest appearances, a slick graphics package/sequence and plenty of surprises. We created a four-camera setup, live audio mix and all the bells and whistles you’d expect on your favorite talk show. We transformed our large Toronto Café into a live TV studio with theater-style seating, a set, displays for video packages and professional lighting. On show day, we filled the audience with Klicksters, sharing an immersive, fun and exciting experience.

We kept our audience grounded in a classic talk format while ensuring the unique Klick magic shone through:

We cut slides entirely and put our people first and at the heart of the show.
We produced moments celebrating our people.
We cut together “slice-of-life” montages, like a segment of Klicksters’ families hilariously answering the question “What do you do for work?”
We also created segments that share behind-the-scenes stories from our most recent work.

To amplify the energy, we produced a dual-screen experience for our remote audience with Slack to ensure key information was received and retained. We appointed a live Slack correspondent to prompt our audience and further curate their experience. We incorporated live hits from other offices, synchronized moments where multiple offices were part of the broadcast, and even hosted viewing parties in our international workspaces. We also rewarded participation, starting with a free takeaway lunch for our studio audiences.

We’ve broadcast two MOSHOs so far with more in the works. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned it’s that MOSHO isn’t just a show; it’s a testament to our relentless pursuit of culture and connection. It’s about turning ordinary meetings into extraordinary experiences, bringing us closer despite the distances. MOSHO is proof that when creativity meets innovation, magic happens.

The post How Our Agency Turned Meetings into Must-Watch TV first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Is Nike the Real Winner of the War Between Drake and Kendrick?

Muse — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The internet is buzzing with a viral rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. While the web has crowned Lamar the lyrical champ, the conversation for marketers should probably be centered on the brands that have been propelled to the forefront of this cultural moment via organic mentions in the songs and what to do if your brand is next.

Lifestyle brands across luxury, streetwear—and even pharmaceuticals—have creatively appeared in the artist’s verses. Lamar mentioned fashion brands Tommy Hilfiger and FUBU in his song “Euphoria” as an insult to Drake. The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper also name-dropped the weight loss wonder drug Ozempic on his song “Meet The Grahams,” and sports drink Gatorade on his “Not Like Us” track to taunt the Toronto rapper.

Drake, a creative lyricist in his own right, is no stranger to incorporating brands into his diss tracks as well as. A questionable reference to luxury handbag Chanel appears on his song, “Push Ups,” and he makes mention of high-end car brand Ferrari on his track “Family Matters,” as a dismissive insult to Lamar.

The dueling rappers haven’t limited their creative organic usage of brands to just their lyrics. Lamar set social media ablaze with the look he sported during The Pop Out: Ken & Friends concert in Inglewood, California. The show streamed on Amazon Music, placing the platform at the center of one of the most talked-about moments of the year.

In it, the Compton-born artist, wore a pair of Nike Shox in a throwback red and white colorway paired the sneakers with a scarlet hoodie from The Row. The look, a reference to the 1994 Source Awards where Tupac antagonized the Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy, was also a huge win for the shoe brand and led to hundreds of TikTokers theorizing that Lamar might have a Nike collaboration on the way.

Getting eyeballs on a product without ad spend at this scale can be just the boost a brand needs to revive itself or evolve to the next level, but it can also be a double-edged sword. Brands need to be ready to navigate the surge in attention and ensure they’re prepared for both the positive and negative impacts that come with such high-profile mentions.

If your brand ends up in the lyrical crossfire, it’s crucial to have a strategy in place to leverage the moment effectively and authentically.

One great example is Coach in its response to being dissed by Cardi B on her “Like What (Freestyle)” track earlier this year. In response to the lyric “Like a Coach bag, baby, this ain’t what you want,” the brand stayed strategically silent, allowing its loyal fans and followers to speak out on social media for them. Cardi B, whose stage moniker is derived from another famous brand, ended being dragged online since downplaying the brand went against the foundational person as a “regular, degular, girl from the Bronx.” In the end, the singer issued a mea culpa in a playful video of her publicly buying a Coach bag.

The key to managing high profile organic mentions is preparation. Coach has weathered the musical viral storm several times before, including a sweet shoutout by Fergie in “Labels or Love” and a bit of a brand slam in Camron’s “Hey Mumma”. They’ve been here before and have a clear playbook for how the brand responds.

Any brand intertwined with popular culture should do the same. Consider how a diss or a declaration of love would play out to target consumers and prepare a plan in advance of a name-drop. Being proactive ensures that your brand can seamlessly navigate any volatile waters and be poised to turn a challenge into an opportunity for growth and increased visibility. Like Coach, this what you actually want to do.

Being prepared can make all the difference when your brand is thrust into the spotlight, whether through a fiery diss or a glowing endorsement.

The post Is Nike the Real Winner of the War Between Drake and Kendrick? first appeared on Muse by Clios.

What's Behind the Big Beauty Opportunity in Sports?

Muse — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

As summer approaches, a new wave is making headlines in the beauty industry, and it’s not what you might expect. The intersection of beauty and sports is creating significant opportunities for brands to innovate and engage new audiences. It’s setting the stage for a dynamic season where beauty and fitness converge.

Historically, beauty and sports have been as compatible as oil and water. Beauty was seen as an arena for the meticulously groomed, while sports catered to the sweaty and rugged. But in recent years, these worlds have collided with the force of a sprinter crossing the finish line. Brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Sally Hansen are leading the charge, proving that you can look glamorous while breaking a sweat. The trend has trickled down to everyday routines, with enthusiasts sporting sweat-proof makeup and long-lasting nail polish that can withstand the rigors of high-intensity workouts.

This movement isn’t just about looking good while you exercise. It’s about integrating beauty into the fabric of fitness. The shift is driven by a cultural phenomenon where Gen Z no longer sees a need to separate their identities. To them, it’s perfectly normal to rock a full face of makeup when attending a trendy run club.

Social media has played a huge role, transforming online trends into real-life communities where beauty and fitness go hand in hand. Influencers and everyday users showcase their sporty looks and beauty routines, creating a viral blend of fitness and fashion. From run clubs to pilates classes, these online communities are turning virtual inspiration into real-world movements. The clean-girl makeup aesthetic, characterized by minimal, dewy looks, is often paired with pilates sessions and green smoothies, illustrating how seamlessly beauty and fitness can merge.

This blend has opened a new creative space where brands can shine.

Charlotte Tilbury’s historic partnership with the F1 Academy is a prime example of how beauty brands are speeding into the sports arena. As the first female-founded beauty brand to sponsor a motorsport event, Tilbury is not only showcasing its products but also championing female athletes.

Sally Hansen’s partnership with Duke University basketball player Jared McCain is another slam dunk. McCain’s love for painting his nails has broken traditional gender norms, showing that beauty and sports are not mutually exclusive. His TikTok videos, where he rocks Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri nail polish, highlight the growing acceptance of self-care among male athletes.

Another example is Tennis legend Serena Williams, who launched a make-up brand, Wyn Beauty. Creating products that you can “move in,” the inaugural range is formulated with clean, high-performing skin-nourishing ingredients, with the team stating they want consumers to not only look good but feel good about themselves.

The beauty and sports fusion is not just about looking pretty, it’s also about practicality. Consumers are seeking products that can withstand their active lifestyles. Brands like E.L.F. are tapping into this demand with campaigns that highlight sweat-proof makeup and durable nail polish. This functional approach is not just a trend. iI’s becoming a necessity for those who balance a busy, active lifestyle with a passion for looking their best.

What Brands and Marketers Should Take Away

Embrace the Action: Integrating elements of extreme sports and high-energy activities into beauty campaigns can create compelling and engaging content. Brands should consider collaborations with athletes and influencers who embody this dynamic spirit.

Champion Diversity and Inclusivity: The partnerships with Charlotte Tilbury and Sally Hansen highlight the importance of promoting diverse narratives within the beauty industry. Supporting female athletes and breaking gender norms can resonate with a broad audience and foster brand loyalty.

Prioritize Functionality: As consumers lead more active lives, there is a growing demand for beauty products that offer durability and performance. Brands should innovate to create products that meet these needs, such as long-lasting makeup and protective skincare.

Leverage Social Media: Platforms like TikTok are crucial for reaching younger audiences who are drawn to high-energy, visually engaging content. Beauty brands should invest in creating dynamic social media campaigns that showcase their products in action-packed settings.

Stay Ahead of Trends: While beauty and sports aesthetics are currently in vogue, trends can shift rapidly. Brands should remain agile and ready to pivot towards emerging preferences.

By embracing the beauty takeover, sports and beauty brands can innovate, engage new audiences and redefine standards. The key is to blend functionality with flair, champion inclusivity and keep pace with cultural shifts driven by social media.

So, lace up those sneakers, apply that sweat-proof mascara and get ready to sprint ahead in the beauty race.

The post What's Behind the Big Beauty Opportunity in Sports? first appeared on Muse by Clios.

The DJs of TikTok: Turning Popular Sounds Into Viral Remixes

Muse — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

TikTok is known for its myriad trends and subcultures. Many of these involve music. Recently, a trend has emerged where DJs are taking funny, popular TikTok sounds and remixing them into their live sets.

This phenomenon isn’t just about riding the wave of social media—it’s a calculated move that resonates deeply with zillennial audiences.

Here’s my POV on why DJs are increasingly incorporating these viral sounds into their performances.

Shared Experiences and Cultural References

TikTok has become a massive cultural hub, where memes spread like wildfire, creating a shared experience among users. When DJs remix these familiar sounds, they tap into a collective reference that immediately connects with the audience, giving them the urge to sing along, dance or even create their own TikTok videos right there at the venue.

Imagine being at a live set and suddenly hearing the iconic “I’m looking for a man in finance” sound. The crowd instantly recognizes it, producing a moment where worlds collide. This generates unity and excitement, making the performance memorable.

@norellb Help her find her man!!! @Girl On Couch @LOUD LUXURY #finance #brooklynmirage #foryou #foryoupage #dj #newyork #loudluxury #fypage #remix #summer2024 #edm #nobu #johnsummit #looking ♬ original sound – Norell Catherine

Opportunity for Participation

TikTok encourages users to participate by creating their own videos using popular sounds. So, DJs who post their remixes to the platform make just as many waves as they do with live performances.

Examples include Malibu Babie’s remix of the “man in finance” song and Tima Page’s mix of it with G6. Some creators take it further and do mashups with multiple popular TikTok sounds. For instance, DJ L BEATS’ “I’m looking for a man in finance” x Cher’s iconic “I am rich man” quote.

@dj.lbeats Replying to @Theresa ugh I love these #maninfinance #cher #iamarichman #maneater #mashup #dj ♬ Man in Finance x I am a rich man by L BEATS – DJ L BEATS

Leaning into Gen Z’s Absurd Humor

Gen Z is known for its unique brand of humor—one that often leans towards the absurd and chaotic. TikTok is a treasure trove of such comedy, with sounds and memes that are quirky, unexpected and sometimes downright bizarre.

DJs who remix these sounds are tapping into chaotic energy, creating an atmosphere that feels spontaneous, fun and made for social. This kind of humor is part of what makes their performances super-shareable.

For example, with TikTokers obsessing over the “Pookie is looking amazing tonight” videos, LOUD LUXURY took one of Pookie’s most popular clips and seamlessly integrated the sound into a beat drop. This absurd energy is what has people saying, “I’d pay however much money to see this live.”

@loudluxury OUR RETURN TO BROOKLYN MIRAGE IS ON SALE NOW ? not sure if we’ll play this tho… #pookie #jet #remix ♬ original sound – LOUD LUXURY

The trend of DJs remixing popular TikTok sounds into their sets is a fun and sometimes frantic intersection of culture and music. By doing so, DJs create performances that are not only entertaining but also deeply engaging.

So next time you’re at a live set and hear a familiar TikTok sound, get ready to join. It’s all part of the show!

The post The DJs of TikTok: Turning Popular Sounds Into Viral Remixes first appeared on Muse by Clios.

Help! I Wrote a Viral Hold Song and Now I Have to Write About Myself

Muse — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

You’re probably thinking “Viral hold music?? This guy sounds amazing.” And you’re right, but that wasn’t always the case.

In 2017, I was just a dude with an advertising degree resigned to the idea that I might remain a bartender for the rest of my life. I’d been to Chicago, where everyone told me I needed portfolio school. But with so much debt already from making fake ads, I chose the sketch and improv route thinking I’d just “yes, and…” my way into an agency.

Then I met a guy at a party. By the end of the night, I had a job offer to a place I’d wanted to work for, even gotten rejected from, for years. My Don Draper dream was happening. I’d start in the mailroom in two weeks.

For the next three years, I worked my way up, from sorting mail and picking up trash around the office to overseeing the whole damn mail operation. The entire time, I was soaking it in and learning things they don’t teach in portfolio school—like, trash always smells worse in the summertime.

Back then I cornered more than one creative in the elevator saying I wanted to be just like them (it wasn’t weird). Eventually that led to my first brief for Universal Studios but ONLY if I dressed like Justin Timberlake and sang songs on piano for a project manager’s birthday party. Deal.

I did the party, nailed the brie, and got my first rejection in advertising. I kept pressing Creative Resources to move me up and after a ton of NOs, I finally got the magic word: “fine” in 2020. I was officially a writer. And as a writer with no proof that I could actually write, they put me on the only projects that you’d trust someone who was just plunging toilets a week before to do: Radio and On-Hold messages.

I did those for months with Pizza Hut. Then in 2021, I got to write for spokesperson Craig Robinson for a package of spots. Knowing his and my own musical talents, I had the unoriginal idea to write a song for him to perform. “Chicken Wings” was born.

@noraeinhellll #holdmusic #pizzahut #wings #chickenwingsong #funny ♬ original sound – noraeinhellll

It lived on the phones of random franchisees for years until 2024. Someone heard the song, loved it, shared it on TikTok and enough people smashed that like button that it got millions of eyeballs and news coverage. I didn’t even know until my aunt reached out to me during paternity leave asking “Who made the Pizza Hut song?”

That led to the agency’s first Radio Mercury Award, a Cannes Shortlist and my mom telling all her Facebook friends that I’m a songwriter now.

All this to say, be nice to the guy in the mailroom. Even if they aren’t award-winning writers today, they could be tomorrow.

The post Help! I Wrote a Viral Hold Song and Now I Have to Write About Myself first appeared on Muse by Clios.