Although the convenience and logistical advantage of ecommerce has sparked concern about whether or not physical stores have a chance in the future of retail, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s quarterly report on ecommerce sales tells a different story. The world may be turning digital, but 90% of retail sales take place offline. People want what they want right away… and that’s one of the main advantages of brick-and-mortar stores.

There is a reason Jeff Bezos invested in Amazon Go stores and purchased Whole Foods - retail is not going extinct, it’s evolving.

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersSeptember 17, 2019Comment

Marketing Innovation in 2020

What’s new today is old tomorrow. The world is changing, but that’s no surprise to marketers. Marketing agencies typically advertise themselves as “innovators” - they’re the front runners of the creative space and latest tech. With ever increasing technological advancements in facial recognition, geo-fencing, or even supermarket robot assistance, marketing agencies need to continuously innovate to stay ahead of the game.

So where are marketing agencies primarily innovating?

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersSeptember 10, 2019Comment

Building the Case for Bigger Marketing Budget

When it comes to the budget, marketers need to fight for what they deserve. Time and time again, industries experience a growth in total revenue after increasing their marketing budget. Despite this correlation, however, marketers are challenged with presenting and proving their value to decision makers.

This blog outlines tactics to help marketing leaders build a case for higher marketing spending to key decision makers.

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersAugust 27, 2019Comment

What to Do When You're Stuck with a Marketing Agency

Collaborative partnerships are built on trust, communication, reasonable expectations, and shared goals. However, if you have exhausted all of your options and still feel stuck with your agency partner, you need to do something about it.

There are plenty of reasons why a brand would stay with their agency partner. If you are a client-side marketer that is unhappy with your current agency partner, use these tips to approach communicating and evaluating the business partnership.

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersAugust 20, 2019Comment

The Importance of Ongoing Marketing Education

Survival of the fittest means learning to adapt to the world around you. The marketing field is evolving constantly. Back in the day, marketing relied on gut feelings. Later, it relied on “vanity metrics.” Now, with the help of advanced technology, analytics has given marketers the necessary knowledge to inform marketing strategy.

But...marketers need to educate and keep themselves up to date on these changes, or else, the marketer risks getting left behind.

How can marketers continue their marketing education and why is it important to do so?

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersAugust 13, 2019innovationComment

The Marketing Profession Needs Marketing

From sales, to product design, to innovation, to finance, to technology, and even to HR - marketing touches virtually every department within the organization and drives each department toward its goals.

In order to do this, however, leaders in the organization need to understand the value of marketing. If CMOs position and communicate themselves better, then progress can be made.

How can CMOs prove their value to not only the C-suite, but the company as a whole?

Why You Shouldn’t Underestimate Interns

Interns are much more than their popular coffee-fetching stereotypes. Tiffany Ujjin, Sales and Marketing intern at Setup, shares her perspective about optimizing and utilizing interns and how to improve internship programs.

Prime's The New Black: Amazon Prime Day 2019

In 2018, Amazon sold over 100 million products on Prime Day, a 60% increase in sales from the previous year. Prime Day has grown immensely, beckoning retail giants like Walmart, Target, and eBay to create their own take on the summer sale.

How has this holiday transformed over the years and what lessons can your brand take away?

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersJuly 16, 2019Comment

Harness the Hype: Stranger Things 3

Stranger Things, the retro sci-fi sensation on Netflix, immerses audiences in the 80’s throughout the show with it’s entire aesthetic, down to the soundtrack. The viewer is not only engaged by the captivating story, but by the presence of all things 80’s - but what can marketers take away from this pop culture phenomenon?

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersJuly 9, 2019harness the hypeComment

How Improv Makes Me a Better Marketer

Improv is an art form present in everyday life. From jazz musicians following a riff, to a nervous boyfriend reviewing topics to discuss with his girlfriend’s parents - improv is everywhere. But how is this silly storytelling tool of make believe relevant to marketers?

Mastering the ability to think on one’s feet makes any situation easier - especially in marketing. Whether working in customer service, a pitching environment, social media marketing, or on a team - marketers who purposefully or subconsciously employ some of the foundational pillars of improv will undoubtedly find more success connecting with their consumers.

How Public Relations is Evolving

The definition of Public Relations, or PR, is “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person.” PR covers a range of disciplines, ranging from consumer relations to influencer marketing to corporate social responsibility. Essentially, PR is the deliberate spread of information. It’s a tool to tell a story, build a relationship with the public, and influence the public’s perspective.

How has PR changed over the years and what tactics still remain true today?

Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersJune 18, 2019Comment

Leveraging Data in 2019

In the digital world, marketers have access to endless data - what they do with that data determines their strategy and success. Each individual data point is a grain of sand that buries the marketer like a sandstorm in the desert when unorganized. With the right guidance, however, marketers can become more purposeful and create a strategic sand trap.

Setup’s agency partner, The Shipyard, wrote the following guest blog to guide marketers away from common pitfalls when using data.