Friends, It’s been a crazy one this week. I’m helping two clients bring big projects to life next week, so this is a short one today. It’s all about the links this week.
I’ve noticed the importance of deep brand storytelling bubbling up in a lot of posts I’m reading and conversations I’m having. This is good. The best articulation of these new conversations is the post by Ana Andjelic. We know engagement rates are dropping on social. We know brands that want to be around for the long-term need to find and develop new distribution channels for content. It is not easy.
Chubbies learned to do this years ago and did it well. Inexpensive productions. Strong vibe. Focused messaging. It may have felt like a big joke, but it was anything but. Preston Rutherford, the co-founder of Chubbies, is worthwhile to follow on Linkedin and great for dropping challenges like this one to leaders to focus more on brand building and storytelling.
Break the vicious cycle. In 2024, get out of the Facebook ROAS rat race. It is possible, and your variable profit will thank you. There is no single prescriptive answer to the question of HOW you know your business better than anyone else. Yes, we all have to sell stuff in the near term, but you know the right things to do for the long term health of your business. Remember, sustainable profits come when people choose to buy your product without having to click on an ad. Your BRAND is the reason why people do that. 95% of your potential buyer pool does not want to buy your product at any given time. Therefore, don’t hammer them with conversion ads.
If you’re wondering what this means for your organization, start by thinking about editorial properties or platforms your organization can and should develop. Don’t think about ROI in a month or even 6 months. Think in years. And you must think about distributing content as equally important as creating the content itself. The days of discovery and organic reach are gone.
Build the content. Build the channels. Build the brand.
Reading this Week
Reader, You know I’m big on narrative and storytelling to build long-lasting brands and deep affinity. I beat this drum every week. In Ana Andjelic’s newsletter last week she clearly articulates the value of storytelling and how it has to mix with growth marketing efforts. Do read: The Glory of Storytelling. (The Sociology of Business)
Social Discovery is Broken. This is why you need to focus on building your own audience. (Attention Matters)
Silicon Valley Ditches News, Shaking an Unstable Industry (New York Times) + related: Is Social Media Addictive? Here’s What the Science Says. (New York Times)
If you discount the importance of storytelling, especially for consumer goods, I’d direct you to vintage watch dealer Eric Wind, who specializes in selling watches with interesting stories. (Esquire).
Meet the first-ever mixtaper at The New York Times (Nieman Lab) and subscribe to the Amplifier here.
Watching
Podcasting is in a little bit of a hangover moment. The froth is beginning to settle and it’s hard to tell what is happening in this space that commanded SO MUCH attention not so long ago, so this interview with Bill Simmons on the business of podcasting is particularly interesting.
Listening
Something I heard a while back at Public Records and have just been listening to on repeat. I’ve had a lot of success using this song to create Spotify Radio stations too.
Content Coverage Submissions
Worked on an interesting project? Seen a good video or have a photo project to suggest? Share your favorite pieces of content here and I’ll include the best in this newsletter.