Articles

Scale is not something to be afraid of—it can be a big advantage. And one of the best ideas any of us can possibly dream up is to lean into our size and make full use of every creative advantage our scale provides us.

Consumers today are looking for authentic, personal experiences with the brands with which they do business. While nonprofits acknowledge the importance of personalizing their constituents’ experiences, they lag the commercial market in delivery, historically relying on constituents’ emotional connections to their missions to acquire and retain them.

I feel that we are at the edge of the epiphany of a digital genesis, like right before the ancient Exodus and Renaissance. Socially and environmentally, there are great sustainability challenges to solve for. The clock is ticking, and we need to respond to the sustainability agenda more seriously beyond CSR (corporate social responsibility) lip service.

Products often dictate the direction that brands take on many aspects of their business, including their data strategies. The entire organization is typically aligned on selling products to increase revenue, but, in 2022, customers are looking beyond the products. They are bringing their entire experience into play when making purchasing decisions.

How can direct mail be used to enable digital first brands to build, engage, and convert customers at a more personal level than ever before?

Storing your company data in the cloud can not only be empowering but also a breath of fresh air for your organization. It enables you to quickly pivot where other non-cloud organizations must zig and zag, allowing you to be proactive. Blake DeLuca, senior manager of cloud innovation product at Merkle, explores how organizations can gain and manage flexibility in their cloud data governance.

What does it mean to be a consumer goods brand today? Formerly reliant on brick-and-mortar stores before 2020, the industry pivoted heavily to online channels during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, it's navigating a middle ground in flux. John Stauffer, managing director of strategic planning at Merkle, looks at how brands can avoid being mere commodities in this environment.

Ad industry take heed: The market is sending disruptive intent signals for creative agencies.