Donna Lopez’s Post

We're not thinking if we're thinking like everyone else Consumers are compelled to socially share when products & experiences are ATYPICAL! One's that strike emotional connections to their lifestyle needs. What motivates you to share? Decades ago we weren't walking around with phones in our hands... Now we're all potential brand ambassadors and storytellers. National Camera Day. GoLidZ #restaurants #digitalmarketing #foodservice #socialmedia

We officially launched our 8th blend yesterday, Tac-O! 🌮 Yes, we launched a REAL product on April Fool's Day. 🗓️ Internally, we had some discussions and debates around the idea of launching an actual product on April 1st, and how it would be received on our social channels. 🤔 As everyone knows, #aprilfoolsday has become the time of year for brands in the CPG space to launch "new" products to get a laugh and enjoy some fooling around on the holiday. I know in my few years here at Dan-O's Seasoning, we've done shampoo and other gags, so there was a legitimate concern this new taco blend would look like another phony. 🧴 However, we decided to take it as an opportunity to stir the pot, and to see if our Fan-O's would even consider it possibly being fake. And the results are in... 🥁 21 hours after our official launch videos were posted to Meta, TikTok, and Instagram, out of roughly 300 comments, only two were about April Fools! 😅 Most were engaging with the chorizo egg muffins and how tasty they looked! 🤤🥚 Additionally, there were a ton of comments saying they came up with the name "Tac-O" before we did. Who knew we had so many creative minds in our community! 😂 So remember, if you want to be a disruptor, launch a real product on April Fool's Day, and let the bottles fly! 🌮🚀 #yumyumgetyasum #cpg #cpgbrands #strategy #marketing #launchday #newblend #newproduct #innovation

Starbucks' Frappuccino Blends Campaign is an ongoing strategy. It's popular because it taps into social media trends: User-Generated Content: They use eye-catching drinks and hashtags (#MyFrappuccino) to encourage customers to share photos on platforms like Instagram, turning them into brand promoters. Limited Edition Flavors: New Flavors and twists keep things fresh, driving repeat business and social media sharing (fear of missing out). Think Unicorn Frappuccino! Customization: Customers can personalize their drinks, fostering a sense of ownership and encouraging them to experiment. This builds brand loyalty. It's a social media-focused strategy with an emphasis on novelty, customization, and user-generated content, making Frappuccino's a pop culture phenomenon. #Starbucks #instagrammarketing #socialemediamarketing #brandbuilding #promotion #america

Starbucks Studios. Nope. It’s not a new latte. It’s a content studio they just announced they are building. Because more content = stronger connections with their audience A stronger blend to better “espress” themselves (Freudian slip) The fact is, more big businesses are approaching their marketing like media companies. This is how: ➡Creating valuable content ➡Building audiences ➡Fostering communities around their brands. Here's my take: ➡Consumers are bombarded with ads and sales pitches ➡Trust in traditional advertising has plummeted The result? Companies are turning to delivering what people want. Content marketing = thought leadership = value In short, they’re making connections. Here’s why it works: ➡It builds trust and authority. ➡It drives engagement and brand loyalty. ➡It generates high-quality leads. And it differentiates a brand. ✓People become more invested. ✓For me, the personalization of Starbucks has ALWAYS been a step ahead. ✓They’ve created an experience with their brand. And now, like other businesses, they're taking it to a new level. Approaching marketing like a media company. P.S. What are you seeing out there? P.S.S. - I am already deeply connected Starbucks (lol) - how about you?

🚀 Excited to share a glimpse into my recent case study where I had the opportunity to develop a campaign for Starbucks Fit Brew, a concept fuelling creativity and innovation. From developing the big idea to writing compelling copy and storyboarding, to market analysis and gathering insights, every step led to a satisfying culmination of the idea. Check out my pitch deck for an inside look at the strategy, creative execution and market research. https://lnkd.in/gSXDSStv Key Takeaways: 🎨 Innovative Concept: Starbucks Fit Brew seamlessly blends the rich flavours of coffee with the nutritional benefits of protein shakes, catering to the modern consumer's desire for convenience without compromising on health. 🍁 Canadian Market Trends: With Canadians increasingly prioritising health and wellness, Starbucks Fit Brew perfectly aligns with the demand for nutritious, on-the-go options. Infusing the rich coffee culture of Canada into protein shakes adds a unique twist, tapping into familiar flavours while offering something refreshingly new. 🎯 Integrated Marketing: The campaign was a symphony of creativity and strategy, harmonising out-of-home placements with a captivating 360 degree social media campaign. By embracing a holistic approach, I ensured that Starbucks Fit Brew was omnipresent, captivating consumers at every turn. ✅ Brand Positioning: At the heart of Starbucks Fit Brew lies a commitment to quality, convenience, and holistic wellness. I leveraged Starbuck’s esteemed reputation and positioned it not just as a beverage, but as a lifestyle choice for FitBrew’s target market. 📽️ Video Storyboard Creation: Bringing this campaign to life through a storyboard allowed me to visualise the narrative, ensuring every frame resonated with the audience and effectively communicated the essence of my big idea “Brew Your Potential.” 🏆 Digital Creativity: Harnessing the power of AI, my vision was brought to life with stunning visuals and larger than life execution. Thankyou Tonie G. for your valuable mentorship. Had a blast collaborating with Hetvi Mehta for this project, you made a great team! #StarbucksFitBrew #CoffeeInnovation #DigitalMarketing #AI #Creativity #MarketTrends #StudentProjects

Have you caught the latest Dunkin' Donuts ad featuring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez? It's not just one, but two hilarious versions! From a dance-off with Tom Brady and Matt Damon disrupting Jlo's studio session to a coffee-sipping moment, these ads have taken the internet by storm. But here's the real kicker – Dunkin' dropped a limited-edition merchandise line inspired by the commercial( genius in the ROI wisdom bank), and fans went wild- sold out!. The online store practically crashed as fans rushed to grab items donned by Ben Affleck. Coffee mugs, hoodies, and even exclusive coffee bean blends flew off the shelves within hours - like the most basic things you can think of BUT expensive. The magic behind this success? Three key elements – storytelling, collaboration, and relatability. The ads tapped into the captivating story of Ben and JLo's rekindled romance, bringing out the actor and business mogul in Affleck with JLo as the perfect ingredient. It's the love story fans have been craving, and Dunkin' delivered. They want a happy ending and seeing them being quirky in the AD gave them a small glimpse into their relationship (acting, maybe!) but believable to the fans. 😁 Collaboration with big names like Brady and Damon added an extra layer of excitement, while the simplicity of the ad made it incredibly relatable. It's proof that sometimes, it's not that deep – a simple, funny message can hit the bullseye. What are your thoughts on the ad? #DunkinDuo #AdSuccess #QuirkyMarketing

Cheers to Happiness, but Whiskey for Success? We all wrestle with worries. But our biggest struggles don't come from opposites like joy and sorrow. They come from the same source, pulling us in different ways—like happiness and success. Look at alcohol ads; when a brand wants to sell success, whiskey steps up. Royal Stag's "Live it Large" campaign is about reaching higher and pushing for greatness. But when it's about happiness, beer brands take over. Budweiser's "Wazaaaaa" campaign is about enjoying life and sharing laughs with your best friends. Happiness and success often clash because you usually give up one for the other. But that does not mean you cannot have both. It just means finding and chasing an idea of success that makes you happy, even if it is not what others expect. Some brands get this balance right. Like Nescafe's "Let’s Get Started" ad, where a stammering comic finds his way into the audience's heart. It is a reminder that happiness and success can go hand in hand if you follow your path. A marketer's work gets more interesting when they care to go beyond the surface of positive brand images and tap into something deeper—a real human struggle. #Advertising #Creativity #ConsumerPsychology

"The Super Bowl is one of the only times where people actually care about brands. Owning the conversation is something that is remembered and can last for a long time." Stacy Taffet, SVP Marketing, PepsiCo. Particularly the BIG GAME useful to amplify brands that need not just more awareness, but mass awareness. Typically these are brands that are proven but have low household recognition. Starry-launched January 2023; massive sales in first year; actually in 10% of households, only 40% national awareness; needed to get in more people's hands. Voila—Super Bowl ad... with Ice Spice breaking up with another lemon-lime soda. (Apparently Sprite is for your dad—LAME.) Why did you develop Starry instead of say re-branding Sierra Mist (or Slice)? Take this example: Aquafina launched branded sparkling water twice, no dice. Instead PepsiCo launches Bubbly, wildly successful. Sometimes brands have baggage, and a younger gen needs something fresh. Sierra Mist was never intended for Gen Z, not even the formula. Needed something FRESH. Mountain Dew Baja Blast — did you know Taco Bell came up with that 20 years ago? Incubated there for 12 years; only available at Taco Bell until 8 years ago, and apparently flew off the shelves. Has not been widely available till last summer. What is the right launch model? We had something special built with Taco Bell, drove traffic to restaurants. But it hit inflection point where it made sense to bring it into retail, and then use that to drive traffic back to... Taco Bell. Endless Loop! Super Bowl is a big investment, but enthusiasm dies fast. How do you keep up the energy? The whole weekend is important—must have continuity campaign for rest of year, try to keep up momentum. Engagement with "Just having a Blast" hashtag seems to have legs. ADWEEK #commerceweek

If you can make a new product part of pop culture before it's even released, you've nailed it!   Like for many of us, my favorite Super Bowl ad was DunKings from Dunkin'. It felt authentic and hilarious at the same time to have Ben Affleck as the main character, reflecting his personal history: whether it's Good Will Hunting, Boston, Matt Damon, and of course, his love for Dunkin' Donuts! This is a true example of embracing pop culture, with references that resonate with most of the audience watching the game. Yet the brand still chooses to have its unique take on it and changes the way paparazzi usually depict the famous actor. I think everyone will remember this rapping piece forever, not just J-Lo!   I enjoyed the build-up before the commercial, with social media posts teasing Ben Affleck dreaming about a rapping career and alluding to J-Lo's upcoming record in which he will also be featured. This type of sequencing generates longer engagement around the idea. It doesn't only exist during the highest-viewed game of the year, but it benefits from the momentum long before and after, with the DunKings’ tracksuits sold out in just 19 minutes after being released! Just like Uber did with snapshots of David and Victoria Beckham reenacting the famous part of their Netflix show to prepare the actual Uber commercial. I was impressed to see the amount of user-generated content from the Dunkin' ad: https://lnkd.in/ddvs-jdz   And what a Super Bowl for a brand to be in – with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce generating significant viewership and engagement on top of what's already the most-watched show of the year!   What about you? What was your favorite Super Bowl ad or experience this year?🏈 🍩   #Superbowl #Ad #Culture #Branding #Commercial

Brands are looking for ways to capture the attention of Gen Z, but it requires more than catchy slogans, edgy ads and a TikTok account. That’s why we asked one of our Gen Z #SPMers, Madison Guay, how food/restaurant brands can effectively market to Gen Z. Here are a few key takeaways from her presentation. (And great job, Madi!)     They are Super Snackers – 1 in 4 Gen Zers prefer small, snack-style bites versus three traditional meals throughout the day (Mintel).   BRANDS: Consider expanding restaurant menus to include small-bite items.  More than any other generation, they prefer carry-out or delivery over dining in – 29% of Gen Zers reported pick up as their preferred ordering method while 18% preferred online delivery services. 86% of Gen Zers also reported experiencing menu anxiety when dining in, which swayed their preferences (Civic Science). BRANDS: Work on creating a dine-out experience that brings the positive, dine-in feel off premise.  Brands that have authenticity and clear purpose are more attractive to Gen Z.   BRANDS: Make sure your brand values are easy to find and show your audience what you are doing that reflects them.    Like every generation before them, Gen Z has influenced the market in their own way. Soon, their distinctions may begin to blur as they settle into adulthood and before we know it, Gen Alpha will be the talk of the PR industry. Until then, brands must continue to stay adaptable and agile while marketing to Gen Z. #GenZMarketing #Authenticity #PRStrategy