Why Authentic Content Marketing Matters Now More Than Ever

I recently was on a webinar hosted by Born Social, and the topic of discussion was ‘A new age of influence and how do you effectively integrate social-first creators into your strategy‘. One of the main things that I took from it was how people are looking for more authenticity than ever before when it comes to not only their social media feeds but also in most of the media/marketing materials they consume.

With the continuous rise of TikTok, we have seen from Gen Zers that they are more interested in social media that reflects their true personalities and interests. They want to see the real person behind the persona, and they are not as interested in perfect social media feeds consisting of content that is carefully curated.

They are taking a step away from ‘Influencers’ and taking a step towards the new age of ‘Creators’. 

We are seeing new brands hit the market that have been created by everyday people, and there is no filter or photoshop behind them. The brands have no polished photos and no perfect captions. The future of creator marketing is brands that have an authentic message and were created authentically, with the ones gaining the most traction being the ones that encourage the creator to be themselves. 

The secret to many brands’ current success is in their extensive use of authentic marketing and content to attract customers and get them interested in their products. By creating content like this, businesses can show new buyers and regular clients what they can buy and how it would look on a real person. All you have to do is look at your TikTok feed to see how more and more brands are engaging with real people like never before because they are now seeing the value behind their real honest reviews, which is what your customer wants to see. 

Take for example Kim Kardashians’ brand SKIMS, one big part of their marketing is their interaction with content creators – sending them products so that they can show them off, how it fits etc. in a video or picture on their social channels, helping them to get on the radar of someone that might not have considered their product before.

Not only does this technique get your product in front of your audience it also creates a domino effect with other creators that may want to receive some product as well, potentially going out and buying your product on their own, with the hopes the brand will notice them and want to work with them too! 

So the main learning that I took from this, was that authenticity is the key to customer engagement and never before has it been so important to be yourself on social media.

Michelle

Michelle Harrison is a Senior Account Manager, part of the PR and Marketing team with Fuzion Communications, a full service brand communications agency that operates from offices in Dublin and Cork

Why is having a sense of purpose so important?

Why is having a sense of purpose so important?

What is ‘purpose’ and why is having one so important? Purpose can be described as the reason for which something exists or is done, made, or used.

To me, I don’t think anyone has a set purpose for their whole life, I think it changes throughout our lifetime, naturally changing as our life ebbs and flows. I see purpose as both striving to achieve a goal and a specific outcome but also enjoying the journey while you’re on it, working towards something but enjoying what you hope you will someday achieve.

Working on your ambitions and personal goals while also potentially changing the lives of other people, is one of the reasons I enjoy what I do. Feeling like the work you do has a purpose and a meaning is one of life’s greatest joys.

I’m a strong believer in manifesting what you want in life, and last year, when I began my journey with Fuzion I wrote down a goal of mine; to work with a mental health organisation. Being a big advocate for mental health myself, I wanted to feel as though I was doing some good and helping others as much as I could in my day-to-day life; any little part I could play.

When we got to pitch to work with the IACP I knew it was an account I had to work on.

Working alongside them last year and launching their national ‘Look After Yourself‘ campaign was one of the highlights of my year. From team brainstorms to reaching out to strangers, with notes in their door to see if we could put a mural on the side of their house (we’ll do anything to get the job done, us PR folk!) to reaching out to Joe Caslin and seeing his vision of the campaign come to life in a mural on Montague Lane in Dublin was an exceptional moment for me and no doubt my Fuzion colleagues too.

This campaign sought to shine a light on men’s mental health, to break the stigma surrounding toxic masculinity and to encourage young men to see therapy as something they shouldn’t be ashamed of doing, and instead encourage each other to seek help if they need it.

There is no shame in asking for help, and although there is still a lot of work left to be done to break the stigma of therapy, we do hope this campaign started a conversation and even encouraged one person to seek help.

Not only did this campaign, I hope, help others but it also helped me achieve my sense of purpose. I would consider working on this campaign not only a highlight for me but the most noteworthy moment in my career thus far and I plan to be talking about it for years to come!

Michelle

Michelle Harrison is part of PR team at Fuzion Communications, working from our Dublin office

Top tips for Remote working – for leaders and their teams

If you are fortunate enough to be able to work from home during this time, we wanted to share with you a few top tips to be as productive as you can be and also bust a few myths about working from home too. 

In a lot of companies the idea of remote working can seem daunting and a lot of people are very skeptical of it. “How do you know people aren’t slacking off?” is a common question people ask when the topic of working from home comes up. But effective remote working starts at the top with the leaders. 

There is a perception that if you can’t see your team working, then they are slacking off but any worker regardless of where they are working from can slack off if there isn’t proper communication in place. If someone understands clearly what work they are responsible for and works accordingly, they should be able to get the job done no matter where they are located. 

So the first tip is of course Communication! 

Communication is key. 

Offline working – A lot of remote workers might feel they need to constantly be online and show they are working at all times but if you need to delve in to a big task – communicate this and let your team know you might be offline working on a project for a few hours, add it to your calendar or your chat status. 

Speak in person – Hold a catch up call with your team and keep in touch, it’s not as easy to have a quick chat with your co-worker when you’re working from home but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Check in with your teammates and see how they’re getting on – just make sure to brush your hair before the video call! 

Chat tools – Use chat tools like Google Hangouts, and Zoom. These tools can really make working from home and communicating with your team a lot easier. 

Track your workday as you normally would – set tasks and take breaks.

Task planning – It’s really easy to get distracted when working from home, so assign yourself a few big tasks you need to get done that day and try your best to get the worst one out of the way first.

Take your breaks – Working alone at home can be hard so take a coffee break/lunch break as you normally would – walk away from your work station/go to a different room and take a break, pet your dog, talk to you mom, call a friend, go for a walk or maybe even do a quick stretch but be sure to assign yourself a time to come back to your desk at, as it’s very easy at home to take too many breaks and get distracted so keeping yourself accountable will do wonders for your productivity. 

Get dressed and set up a workstation away from your bedroom if you can. 

Sitting in your PJ’s all day will not help your productivity…as tempting as it is! 

Create a remote team culture

Your company culture doesn’t have to take a hit during this time. Implement a fun way to stay in touch with your co-workers. For instance here at Fuzion we have our Fuzion Cuppa everyday at 11am where we make a cup of tea/coffee and catch up with our colleague and see how everyone is. This is a fun way to let everyone know it’s business as usual and we’re all still staying connected with each other. 

Exercise 

If your day looks something like bed to chair to couch to bed then make sure you get outside and get some fresh air and some steps in. It’s not only important for you to get some exercise, but it’s also important for your mental health to get out of the house at least once a day. 

Have a dance party at home(sure nobody is watching anyway!!)

Know when to log off 

This can be one of the most challenging aspects for remote work, as the world is becoming increasingly connected but it is important to develop a habit of setting a time when you officially “log off” for the night. 

And last but not least: 

Embrace the perks of working from home. 

This is a tough time for us all, but if you are able to work from home enjoy the positive side of it. No morning commute, endless cuddles with your pets, nice views, midday dance parties, the memes, the tiktok’s, more time spent with our loved ones – the list is endless!

Michelle

Michelle Harrison is part of PR team at Fuzion Communications, working from our Dublin office

How PR and Advertising Work Better Together

For many years we have seen brands and agencies focusing on one discipline as part of their marketing strategy, thinking PR alone will encourage sales with no advertising (be that digital or traditional) or vice versa. But with the rise of the internet and social media, brands and companies are now realising that they need to use PR and Advertising together to be more strategic when it comes to their marketing approach.

There is no longer a one-way channel between brands and consumers.

Advertising no longer controls the distribution of your message and PR is not the only channel telling your brand’s story. Consumers have more power than ever and are somewhat in control of the message your brand tells.

The general public can get a message out about your brand or company in a matter of seconds or tune in to your marketing messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn,YouTube, or other online forums. The list is endless.

This is why it is now more important than ever to ensure your PR and Advertising are working cohesively together.

Paid for advertising needs to promote and reach the people most willing to pay for a company’s products or services and entice them to buy. PR helps to make this advertising more effective as it cultivates a positive reputation with the public through various unpaid or earned communications, including traditional media, social media, and in-person engagements. By using them strategically together you hopefully create both awareness and trust with your target audience.

A great example of a brand using PR and advertising together is Paddy Power.

Whether you love them or hate them, you can’t deny they are forever in the media for something they have done. Not only do their marketing stunts get them noticed by their target audience, but they are also often the topic of conversation among other audiences too, spreading their message far and wide.

Not only does this PR activity keep them top of mind with the public, but it is enhanced by their paid for ads ensuring that they are forever being seen by the people most likely to place a bet. This strategy has transformed them from local betting shop business to global betting giant.

By allowing PR and Advertising to work together you create one consistent message and a synergy effect, so customers see one brand whether they see you on the TV, radio, in print, or online.

Whether you are working in an Insurance company or working on ‘the next big thing’ you have an opportunity to maximize your brand through great cohesive brand building and ensure you are always moving with the times.

At Fuzion Communications we love fully integrated campaigns because we know these achieve the best results and we encourage this with all our clients.

If you would like to find out more about what we can offer, please contact us at info@fuzion.ie or visit our website www.fuzion.ie

Michelle

Michelle Harrison is part of PR team at Fuzion Communications, working from our Dublin office