Latest news with #consumerengagement
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
EDO Reveals 2025's Most Effective TV Ads: Red Lobster, Taco Bell, and Beyoncé-Backed Levi's Lead the Way
Celebrity cameos, bold visuals, and short formats helped brands break through in the year's most effective national TV ads across 15 categories NEW YORK, July 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, TV outcomes company EDO unveiled the most effective TV ads from the first half of 2025, spotlighting the creatives that drove the strongest consumer engagement — measured by branded search and site visits — across 15 key industries, including Apparel, Auto, CPG, and Restaurants. As media fragmentation grows and performance pressure intensifies, the most effective marketers are turning to outcome-based insights to inform their strategies. With every media dollar under greater scrutiny, EDO delivers the immediate signals brands need to make smarter creative and media decisions while campaigns are still live. Each ad in EDO's rankings outperformed its industry peers in driving immediate consumer response — behaviors that are proven to predict future sales. Marketers can look to these standouts for creative inspiration, performance benchmarks, and new ways to activate audiences across Convergent TV. "Some of the biggest creative wins this year came from brands willing to meet the moment — whether it was Red Lobster rebuilding after bankruptcy, Cadillac stepping into the luxury EV space, or Taco Bell entering QSR's crispy chicken wars," said Laura Grover, SVP, Head of Client Solutions, EDO. "These campaigns took different paths and strategies, but all drove measurable consumer engagement that signals intent and powers future business growth." Here are some of the top trends from EDO's list. For a deeper dive into all 15 categories — including Alcohol, Breakfast, Credit Cards, Cruises, Insurance, OTC Pain Relief, Snacks, and Travel — visit Apparel: Levi's reached No. 1 featuring Beyoncé, while Mott & Bow, New Balance, Vuori, and Tecovas each landed two ads in the top 10. Automotive: In the Luxury Automotive category, Cadillac's 2025 Escalade IQ ranked No. 1, with Acura and Lexus also showing a strong presence. Among Non-Luxury advertisers, GMC led with the Hummer EV and its Crabwalk feature, while Toyota and Ford secured multiple top ads, including NFL-backed campaigns. CPG Beauty: Dove led with uplifting ads focused on confidence and self-care, followed by Gold Bond, Neutrogena, No7, and Lancôme with celebrity-backed campaigns. Diabetes & Weight Management: Noom claimed eight of the top 10 spots promoting GLP-1 drugs and health advice, with Hims' GLP-1-focused ad outperforming the category by 522%. Restaurants: In Casual Dining, Red Lobster landed five of the top creatives, boosted by NBA vet Blake Griffin and NSYNC's Joey Fatone, alongside Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, and Buffalo Wild Wings, focusing on meals under $20. Meanwhile, in the QSR category, Taco Bell dominated with top ads spotlighting its Luxe Cravings Box and the debut of its crispy chicken, while Long John Silver's and McDonald's also engaged with value and pop culture themes. "Great creatives drive real business outcomes by inspiring viewers to take action," continued Grover. "This year's top ads used bold visuals, humor, music, and culturally resonant moments to spark meaningful response." How Brands Use EDO to Maximize TV ROI EDO makes it easy to optimize media and creative strategy across linear and streaming TV. The company's Creative Rotation Optimization tool helps advertisers detect, compare, and improve performance while campaigns are still live. About EDO EDO is the TV outcomes company. Our leading measurement platform connects convergent TV airings to the ad-driven consumer behaviors most predictive of future sales. EDO empowers the advertising industry to maximize media impact, optimize creative performance, and know the fair value of every impression — across linear and streaming for an increasingly programmatic world. By combining immediate engagement signals with world-class decision science and vertical AI, EDO equips industry leaders with syndicated, investment-grade data that aligns media to business results — with detailed competitive, category, and historical insights. Leading brands, agencies, networks, streamers, and studios trust EDO's TV intelligence to know what works. View source version on Contacts KCSA for EDOedo@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bain & Company explores how sustainable packaging is becoming a new driver of luxury brand value
DUBAI – Bain & Company has released a new report titled Luxury Packaging: Resolving the Tension Between Creativity and Impact, which explores how luxury brands are embracing sustainable packaging not only to reduce environmental harm, but also to unlock new forms of consumer engagement and brand value. The report finds that as consumer expectations shift and regulatory pressure mounts, packaging is evolving from a cost center to a brand touchpoint—serving as both a symbol of sustainability and a vehicle for digital innovation. Based on a global survey of over 500 luxury packaging experts, Bain identifies clear momentum toward materials and designs that minimize impact while reinforcing exclusivity and differentiation. Bain's analysis highlights the growing adoption of the 'four Rs' in packaging strategies—reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover—alongside a strong focus on optimizing volume and logistics to reduce emissions across the value chain. Industry leaders also expect sustainable products to represent more than 30% of luxury packaging sales within three years. Importantly, brands are no longer viewing sustainability as a trade-off with design. Instead, innovations in material science and digital integration are enabling an aesthetic shift. From advanced paper and biodegradable polymers to mycelium-based structures and natural textures, sustainable materials are creating new design possibilities. Nearly half of respondents highlighted advanced paper as a critical innovation area. The report also explores how interactive packaging is opening new digital frontiers. Digital product passports (DPPs), augmented reality interfaces, and integrated QR experiences are transforming the unboxing moment into a gateway for brand storytelling, transparency, and resale value. Nearly 50% of respondents believe packaging can strengthen brand equity by enabling digitally enhanced experiences. The report concludes that luxury brands are increasingly treating packaging as a key area for innovation—balancing creative expression with environmental considerations and digital functionality. As sustainability expectations evolve, leading brands are exploring new materials, design approaches, and partnerships across the value chain to meet emerging requirements while maintaining product quality and brand distinctiveness. Media contacts: To arrange an interview or for any questions, please contact: Christine Abi Assi – christine@ About Bain & Company Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Morgan Stanley says Temu demand hit by ongoing policy changes
-- Temu's U.S. demand continues to deteriorate amid ongoing trade policy changes, according to a new note from Morgan Stanley. Based on the firm's latest AlphaWise survey and third-party data, the bank stated that the Chinese e-commerce platform is facing mounting headwinds from elevated tariffs and regulatory shifts, which have weakened consumer engagement. 'Demand for Temu continued to decline in June,' the analysts wrote, noting that the platform 'is struggling to stay competitive as policy changes take hold.' Although the Biden administration recently pulled back from proposed 145% China tariffs, the elimination of the de minimis exemption and a still-high ~55% combined tariff rate 'caused engagement with Temu to decline significantly.' The most recent survey, conducted in June among ~2,000 U.S. consumers, is said to have shown that just 18% had shopped on Temu in the past three months, a record low since Morgan Stanley began tracking the data in September 2023. Meanwhile, net purchase frequency expectations remained the lowest among tracked retailers at -25%. Website and app metrics confirmed the weakening trend. traffic and visitors dropped by 81% and 78%, respectively, from March to May, while app downloads declined 85% year over year, according to Morgan Stanley. They add that monthly active users fell to about 49% of peak levels. Morgan Stanley believes Dollar Stores are emerging as major beneficiaries. 'Shopper overlap between Temu and FIVE/DG/DLTR declined,' the analysts said, suggesting that 'Temu's threat to Dollar Stores is waning and may potentially be flipping in the other direction.' Despite these challenges, Morgan Stanley's China Internet team expects Temu's U.S. GMV to reach $39 billion by 2030, with profitability in sight by 2025. But for now, the firm warns the retailer remains exposed to policy uncertainty and consumer attrition. Related articles Morgan Stanley says Temu demand hit by ongoing policy changes Citi upgrades Linde on project wins and productivity gains FX-hedged stocks seen outperforming as euro rises, says Morgan Stanley Sign in to access your portfolio
Entrepreneur
30-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
What does bravery really mean for businesses today?
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Tariffs have thrown a volatility bomb into the status quo, fiscal pressures have never been tighter, and consumers are slowly but undeniably shifting their preferences and behaviours. Now, more than ever, brands are having to work harder and smarter to engage their consumers. Under these conditions, the path to relevance isn't linear, and certainly not safe. So, be brave or tread carefully? Bravery is the flag behind which most businesses and their creative agencies will rally, charging over new ground with passion and conviction. Yes, it can be incredibly rewarding when successful, some of the best work in the advertising industry has never been safe. In volatile markets, bravery is often what breaks through. It creates cultural relevance, drives innovation and pushes businesses ahead. But (and predictably I'm going to side-eye Jaguar here) it can also backfire horrendously. Firing their agency whilst initially claiming it was all created 'inhouse' betrays a lack of a strategic approach or conviction, demonstrating the danger of being seduced by radical rather than intelligent thinking. Yet caution, too, carries its own danger. The absence of bold thinking, of innovation aligned with insight, can lead to stagnation. Jaguar, pre-rebrand, spent years slowly bleeding relevance as competitors moved ahead. Success lies in intelligent bravery. Not bravery for bravery's sake Bravery without insight, intuition and intention is just bravado. Instead, success requires a deep dive into firstly understanding what makes a business truly distinctive (and this isn't always what is assumed), truly desirable (beyond price) and the cultural landscape in which it exists. Many businesses cling to assets they believe to be iconic, only to discover through consumer research that those assets don't land at all. Sometimes, it's the overlooked and unexpected that holds the true connection with consumers. Case in point: a long time ago Magnum believed the 'M' and identity to be the strongest asset, but research revealed the true distinctiveness was the crunch of the comparatively thick chocolate coating. That insight shifted Magnum's communications and innovation strategy and to this day remains a defining and differentiation feature for a brand that's become a global icon in its category. Sometimes the brave thing to do is stay still Brand assets aren't sacred. Some must evolve or even re-invent to re-engage... but sometimes they are more powerful than they appear, quietly driving recognition and recall from the brand's periphery. Knowing when to push forward and when to hold fast, celebrating and amplifying what already works, is a form of bravery in itself. Interrogating brand assets with honesty is how bravery becomes effective. Depth over assumption Going deep into the cultural landscape to truly understand your current and future consumer is key to delivering desirability. Context is crucial but the bear traps here are short term trend-chasing versus long term brand building. Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe didn't build cult status in a season. It has done so through keeping a red thread of consistency through decades, giving consumers a clear vision of what values it represents beyond the product in hand. Luxury brands know better than anyone how to build desirability in the long term. It takes dedication to a deep positioning and assets with agility to respond tactically. The lessons from Jaguar, Magnum and Loewe are clear: standing still risks catastrophic irrelevance. The risk worth taking is one that builds trust, elevates the business and strengthens its position over time. The path forward And finally, no conversation about creativity and business is complete without touching on AI. It's galloping efficiencies are changing the agency landscape forever and with Mark Zuckerburg's recent claim that all marketing will be possible through META at the touch of a button, the race to efficiency opportunities and the fear of being left behind is palpably vibrating through every part of our industry. I am not alone in arguing that AI is yes, efficient, and yes, very clever these days. algorithms are not (yet) capable of insight-driven bravery; they are built on delivery that fits in, not stands out. And at a time when execution is cheap and consumers crave true connection more than ever, what will future proof a business isn't category regurgitation. Rather, it's still that intangible and unpredictable something that comes from a brain and a heart combined: intelligent bravery.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Today's Consumers Really Want From Brand Content
Katie Jewett is a vice president at UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations, helping B2B tech visionaries amplify their voices. Consumers today aren't just consuming content—they're scrutinizing it. In an era where personalization is expected and values matter more than ever, brands must go beyond simply being informative or entertaining. To truly connect, content must be relevant, trustworthy and reflective of the brand's role in society. And that means rethinking not only what the content says but also how it's created, delivered and perceived. Staying Relevant In The Content Economy Below are three essential shifts brands must make to stay relevant in today's content economy. Modern consumers expect more than just promotional messaging—they want brands to stand for something meaningful and worthwhile. In an April 2024 Direct Digital Holdings study, 81% of Gen Z consumers said that diversity and multiculturalism significantly influence the brands they support. This highlights the significance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in influencing purchasing decisions among this generation. Furthermore, a 2019 study by Sprout Social reveals that "70% of consumers say it's important for brands to take a stand on public issues." This reflects a growing expectation for brands to engage actively in societal conversations. That doesn't mean abandoning performance-driven content. However, it does mean rebalancing content strategies to include storytelling that reflects the audience's values. Brands that sustain their commitment to meaningful causes—not just through one-off campaigns but with consistent content across channels—build deeper consumer trust and long-term loyalty. Even the most resonant message can fall flat if it's delivered in a way that feels intrusive. As privacy concerns escalate and third-party cookies are phased out, brands must evolve their approach to targeting and reaching their audiences. Research conducted by the Harris Poll in 2023 shows that 70% of consumers have taken action to protect their online privacy, such as blocking cookies or using incognito browsers. And a 2022 study from Cisco shows that 37% have abandoned brands due to dissatisfaction with their data practices. In response, brands are exploring new privacy-first targeting methods. One example is 'predictive audiences,' which use contextual signals, such as time of day, device type or content engagement behavior, to identify audiences more likely to interact with branded content, all without relying on personal identifiers. These strategies strike a balance between relevance and respect, allowing brands to maintain performance while honoring consumer preferences. Generative AI has unlocked new possibilities for content marketers, including rapid idea generation, tone optimization and real-time iteration, to name a few. But with great power comes new scrutiny. Can consumers tell the difference between human- and AI-generated content? And does it matter? In a 2023 study, most consumers were unable to reliably distinguish AI-written content from human-created articles. In fact, many found AI content to be more personable and enjoyable, possibly due to its simplicity and accessibility. However, human-written content still ranked higher in terms of educational value and attention retention. The takeaway? AI can be a powerful co-creator, particularly for content that needs to be concise and digestible. But for messaging that requires depth, education or emotional nuance, human writers still lead. Transparency matters too. Brands must communicate how they're using AI and ensure outputs are accurate, on-brand and ethical. Actionable Steps For Marketers To create brand content that connects, performs and lasts, marketers should align strategy and execution with today's consumer expectations. Here are some practical ways to start: • Lead with value-driven storytelling. Ensure your content reflects your brand's stance on social issues and commitment to DEI—not just in mission statements but across campaigns, social posts and creative execution. Audiences can spot performative messaging, so aim for consistency and authenticity. • Design for privacy-first performance. Move beyond third-party cookies by exploring contextual and predictive targeting methods. Use signals such as page context, device type and user behavior to personalize content delivery while respecting privacy boundaries. • Use AI as a co-creator, not a crutch. Let AI help with brainstorming, outlining or tone refinement, but reserve human input for strategic storytelling and emotional nuance. Be transparent about how AI is used in your content process, especially for brand-owned channels. • Simplify complex content without losing substance. Whether through AI tools or human editing, clarity matters. Break down technical concepts, structure for skimmability and prioritize accessibility, especially when speaking to a diverse or global audience. The Future Belongs To Thoughtful Brands Content has never carried more weight—or more responsibility. As consumers become more discerning, brands must move beyond traditional tactics and embrace a holistic content strategy—one that integrates purpose-driven messaging, prioritizes privacy and uses emerging tools like AI to scale with care. The brands that succeed will be those that create not just content but connection. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
