Tag: WARC

• Inaugural WARC dComm IndexTM report on Amazon is released – a proprietary data-led report to help marketers overcome the challenges and find opportunities to achieve success on Amazon

WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, has today launched WARC Digital Commerce (www.warc.com/about-digital-commerce), a unique one-stop destination bringing together analysis, best practices and insights for brand marketers and ecommerce leaders to build digital platform marketing strategies and plan for success.

Amin Mrini, VP WARC Digital Commerce, said: “WARC Digital Commerce is founded on the belief that brand marketing and ecommerce are converging – yet the two disciplines speak different languages and have different metrics for success.

“With this launch we will provide a clear understanding of how to optimise presence, media investment and use creativity to magnify influence on the major digital platforms and drive sales.”

Patrick Miller, Co-President, Ascential Digital Commerce, & Co-founder, Flywheel Digital, added: “As the worlds of marketing, sales, supply chain, and digital commerce come together, it’s paramount that marketers have a comprehensive understanding of how their brands are showing up and performing on the major retailers.

“The launch of WARC’s Digital Commerce platform is a gamechanger for brand marketers wanting to understand theirs and their competitors’ latest performance data and gain insights and knowledge that will help grow their brand.”

Combining the marketing expertise of WARC with the ecommerce platform knowledge of Ascential, WARC Digital Commerce will include:

• In-depth, evidence-based reports on major digital commerce platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Instacart (with Target and Kroger launching soon).
• Proprietary data and deep dives into nine top categories and their subcategories: Non-Alcoholic drinks, Baby Products, Health, Toys/Games, Food, Beauty & Personal Care, Household Supplies, Pet Supplies, Consumer Electronics.
• Expert commentary on the challenges and opportunities that exist on the platform and what it takes to win.
• Extensive benchmarks and data driven analysis to uncover what is truly best in class in the most competitive categories and subcategories.
• All reports will be refreshed quarterly.

Platform Primers

•  Extensively detailed profiles of the retail media offerings of Amazon and Instacart (with Walmart coming soon).
• Developed in conjunction with Colin Lewis, an authority on retail media networks and respected advisor to numerous top brands and retailers on the topic of Retail Media Networks.

Case Studies & How to Win Articles

• An assortment of continuously refreshed articles providing a detailed look at the strategies and tactics successful brands are using to grow their brands online and quickly outpace their competitors.

Data Points

• Track retail media benchmarks and stay ahead of the market with snackable insights on ad spend, shopper journeys and industry growth.

The WARC Digital Commerce IndexTM report on Amazon.com Q1-2022

Following the release of WARC’s first Digital Commerce report, ‘How to win on Instacart’ (content.ascential.com/warc-dc-instacart-register.html), a new study is published today on how brands can win on Amazon.

The first WARC Digital Commerce Index report on Amazon (Q1 2022) provides marketers with a closer look at how Amazon is evolving its business as well as the challenges and opportunities it offers, along with some key takeaways to help marketers turn data and KPIs into actionable insights.

Gregory Grudzinski, Head of Content, WARC Digital Commerce, and author of the report, says: “Amazon has recently broadened its focus and leaned into the upper marketing funnel — thereby creating a powerful opportunity for brand marketers to use Amazon for brand building as well as for sales.”

Topics covered in WARC’s Amazon dComm Index include:

Rising CPCs – The average cost per click on Amazon’s core ad product – sponsored product ads – increased 29% year-on-year in March 2022, according to digital advertising optimization provider, Perpetua.

Paid Search Competitive Intensity – In Paid Search, a relatively small number of brands dominate paid search on Amazon with a long tail of brands struggling for visibility. By comparison, on Instacart there is a much smaller gap between the winners and losers — which translates to an opportunity for brand marketers.

The Winner’s Circle – dComm Winners by category: Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Nespresso; Baby Products: Pampers; Health: Pure Encapsulations; Toys & Games: Barbie; Food: Kind; Beauty & Personal Care: Maybelline; Household Supplies: Duracell; Pet Supplies: Blue Buffalo; Consumer Electronics: JBL/Harman.

At the core of this Amazon Q1 2022 and subsequent deep-dive ecommerce reports, is the WARC dComm IndexTM, a proprietary data-led benchmark which takes into account product selection, organic search, price, paid search and advertising content. It allows brands to measure themselves against category competitors and across major digital commerce platforms, and will be the definitive guide for brands wanting to succeed in the ecommerce era.

Download (content.ascential.com/lp/897-MBC-207/warc-dc-uncover-the-secrets.html) a complimentary sample of the first WARC Digital Commerce report on Amazon. The full report is available only to subscribers of WARC Digital Commerce.

WARC Digital Commerce, available by subscription, is part of WARC’s suite of products which include WARC Strategy (www.warc.com/about-strategy), WARC Creative (www.warc.com/about-creative) and WARC Media (www.warc.com/about-media). More information at www.warc.com/about-digital-commerce.

About WARC — The global authority on marketing effectiveness
For over 30 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. WARC services include 94,000+ case studies, best practice guides, research papers, special reports, advertising trend data, webinars, awards, events and advisory services. WARC operates out of London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai, servicing a community of over 75,000 marketers in more than 1,200 companies in 100+ markets and collaborates with 50+ industry partners.

About Ascential
WARC is an Ascential company. Ascential delivers specialist information, analytics and ecommerce optimisation platforms to the world’s leading consumer brands and their ecosystems. Our world-class businesses improve performance and solve problems for our customers by delivering immediately actionable information combined with visionary longer-term thinking across Digital Commerce, Product Design and Marketing. We also serve customers across Retail & Financial Services. With more than 3,000 employees across five continents, we combine local expertise with a global footprint for clients in over 120 countries. Ascential is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

About WARC dComm IndexTM methodology
The WARC dComm IndexTM is a brand-level aggregate of a series of performance measures – ingested daily – across selection/availability, organic search, paid search, price and content. Built from SKU-level search results and product detail information, the Index reflects a Brand’s ability to optimise for a given platform, in the context of its category/peer group. Each brand in our sample is given a total ‘Index Score’, determining its position in our category league table.

Contact:

Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
amanda.benfell@warc.com

Ranked #1: Campaign: Undercover Avatar | Agency: MediaCom New York | Network: Mindshare | Holding Company: WPP | Brand: L’Enfant Bleu | Advertiser: Unilever | Country: USA

WARC Rankings – Media 100, the ultimate independent global benchmark for media excellence, is now released featuring the most awarded campaigns and companies in the world. The top ten most highly ranked campaigns and companies in the 2022 WARC Media 100 are:

Compiled by WARC, the international marketing insights company, the Media 100 (www.warc.com/rankings/media-100) is produced by combining the results of the industry’s most important global and regional media award shows tracked throughout 2021. The awards tracked are determined by a worldwide industry survey and in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board (www.warc.com/rankings/about).

#1 Campaign: Undercover Avatar for L’Enfant Bleu by Havas Sports & Entertainment Paris
French child welfare association L’Enfant Bleu harnessed the power of Fortnite, the hugely popular video game, by creating an undercover in-game avatar enabling children to confide their concerns about abuse during lockdown. The impact of the campaign resulted in the French government working on solutions to turn video games into new ways to identify abused children.

In second place is Dogvertising for Pedigree by MediaCom Zagreb and Go2Digital Zagreb. The campaign delivered personalised advertising by DOOH technology based on dog detection. In third is Media That ‘Eats’ Pollution for Volkswagen by PHD London. To launch VW’s first fully-electric vehicle, the ID.3, they painted OOH ads using a unique air purifying paint.

#1 Media Agency: MediaCom New York
With five highly placed campaigns in the top 100 for Ally, Uber, Walgreens and Duracell, MediaCom New York has stormed up the rankings to claim global pole position. Mindshare Shanghai is in second place with eight campaigns ranked. PHD London rises to third place, up from 40th, with two campaigns, including Media That ‘Eats’ Pollution ranked #3.

Sasha Savic, CEO, MediaCom US, said: “Topping the WARC Media 100 is a defining moment for MediaCom U.S., and we could not be more honored for the recognition.

Delivering transformative campaigns is all down to our amazing people working with some of the most ambitious marketers in the world. I am most proud that the #1 ranking comes from wins across our breadth of expertise, whether data creativity, content partnerships, gaming, or social impact. My sincerest thanks to every person at MediaCom in the U.S., our clients, and our partners. This one is all yours.”

#1 Media Network: Mindshare
For a second consecutive year, taking top place is Mindshare, with seven agencies in the top 50 contributing to its tally of points. Hot on its heels and closing the points gap is MediaCom in second place and PHD Worldwide is in third, up from fourth.

Adam Gerhart, Global CEO, Mindshare, said: “The WARC 100 isn’t just about a single awards show or one campaign – it’s a celebration of being the best of the best and we’re delighted to be recognised as the most creative media network in the world for the third year running! We couldn’t do it without the unwavering energy of our teams and the liberating collaboration of our partners and clients, so thank you to everyone for helping us to continue to create media experiences that have an impact and change the world.”

#1 Holding Company: WPP
No change for the top three networks for the past five years, with WPP retaining its pole position, Omnicom Group in second place and Interpublic Group in third.

#1 Brand: L’Enfant Bleu
Newcomer to the WARC Rankings, French child welfare association L’Enfant Bleu is top brand with its outstanding and impactful campaign Undercover Avatar. Pedigree is in second place following a three year absence from the top 50. Online US bank Ally enters the the top 50 brands for the first time in third position.

Pauline Grison, Communications Director, L’Enfant Bleu, said: “L’Enfant Bleu is very proud to be #1 brand and #1 campaign in the WARC Media 100 Rankings with “Undercover Avatar”! More than a communication campaign, this device allowed us to come into contact with hundreds of children in danger in less than a month. After this period, we were much more visible in the media, and had a 200% increase in calls from witnesses of child abuse. This honour is therefore really symbolic for all these children.”

#1 Advertiser: Unilever
Multinational consumer goods company Unilever retains its number one spot for the third consecutive year. Brewing giant AB InBev, moves up one place to second. The Government of New Zealand, which has steadily climbed the Media 100 Rankings over the past couple of years, is now in third place.

Conny Braams, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, Unilever, said: “It’s excellent to see Unilever featured in the top three of both the WARC Media 100 and Creative 100 Rankings. Retaining the number one spot in media excellence for the third year in a row is testament to the world-leading expertise of our Global Media team and agency partners, who seamlessly navigate a dynamic media landscape to build brands and drive conversion at the same time.”

#1 Country: USA
No change in the top three from last year, with USA retaining its #1 ranking, followed by the UK in second place and China in third.

Summing up, David Tiltman, SVP, Content, WARC, said: “The WARC Media 100 shows the growing influence of gaming on the media landscape. More clients are showing an understanding of the nuances of gaming beyond simple product placement or ads in games. Top campaign L’Enfant Bleu created an avatar within video game Fortnite that allowed children at risk of abuse to talk in confidence without their parents’ knowledge, and Ally Bank created a virtual island within the Animal Crossing game and created its own ‘turnip exchange’ to demonstrate its ‘smarter way to bank’ credentials to Millennials.”

The WARC Media 100 has been compiled by applying a rigorous, unbiased and transparent methodology (www.warc.com/rankings/media-100/methodology).

The WARC Media 100 Ranking can be viewed in full here (www.warc.com/rankings/media-100). It includes the world’s top 100 awarded campaigns for media, top 50 media agencies, agency networks, brands, advertisers, countries and top holding companies. The campaigns, case studies, credits and subsequent insights reports are available to WARC Rankings subscribers. The WARC Creative 100 has been announced and can be viewed here (www.warc.com/rankings/creative-100). The WARC Effective 100 will be revealed on 17 March.


About WARC – The global authority on marketing effectiveness
WARC is an Ascential company. Ascential delivers specialist information, analytics and ecommerce optimisation platforms to the world’s leading consumer brands and their ecosystems. Our world-class businesses improve performance and solve problems for our customers by delivering immediately actionable information combined with visionary longer-term thinking across Digital Commerce, Product Design and Marketing. We also serve customers across Retail & Financial Services. With more than 2,000 employees across five continents, we combine local expertise with a global footprint for clients in over 120 countries. Ascential is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For over 30 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. WARC services include 96,000+ case studies, best practice guides, research papers, special reports, advertising trend data, news & opinion articles, as well as webinars, awards, events and advisory services. WARC operates out of London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai, servicing a community of over 75,000 marketers in more than 1,200 companies in 100+ markets and collaborates with 50+ industry partners.

About WARC Rankings – Media 100
The WARC Media 100 is a ranking of the world’s most awarded campaigns and companies for media. It compiles the results of award shows that ran the year prior to its publication (e.g. the 2021 rankings reflect the results of award shows that ran in 2020).

The Media 100 has run since 1999 (formerly part of the Gunn Report) and sits alongside two other rankings: the WARC Creative 100 (formerly the Gunn Report), and the WARC Effective 100 (formerly the WARC 100) which has ranked effectiveness since 2014.

To compile the WARC Media 100, WARC tracks different advertising competitions around the world — all of them require entrants to show the impact of media on the campaign. Campaigns (and the brands and agencies behind them) are awarded points based on the prizes they win in those competitions.

The WARC Media 100 methodology follows the approach of the WARC Effective 100 methodology, which was developed in consultation with an independent third party: Douglas West, professor of marketing and programme director at King’s College, London.

In order of overall show weighting, following shows are included in this year’s rankings:
Global:
Cannes Lions (media categories), Festival of Media, Effies (media categories), M&M Awards, WARC Media Awards, Adweek Media Plan of the Year, Internationalist Awards, I-COM Data Creativity Awards, MMA Smarties, World Media Awards, D&AD (media categories)

Regional:

APAC: Spikes Asia (media categories), Tangrams, Festival of Media APAC, MMA Smarties APAC, Effie APAC plus local markets (media categories)

Europe: Eurobest (media categories), IAB Mixx Awards Europe, MMA Smarties Europe, EACA Euro Effie plus local markets (media categories), Campaign Media Awards

Middle East & Africa: Festival of Media MENA, Dubai Lynx (media categories), Loeries (media categories), MMA Smarties MENA, Effie MENA plus local markets (media categories)

LATAM: Festival of Media LATAM, El Ojo de Iberoamerica (media categories), MMA Smarties LATAM, Effie LATAM plus local markets (media categories)

North America: Festival of Media North America, MMA Smarties North America, Effie North America plus local markets (media categories)

Contact:

Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
amanda.benfell@warc.com

Ranked #1: Campaign: #wombstories | Agency: Publicis Milan | Network: Ogilvy | Holding Company: Omnicom Group | Brand: Burger King | Advertiser: AB InBev | Country: USA

WARC Rankings – Creative 100, the ultimate independent global benchmark for marketing celebrating creative excellence, is now released featuring the most awarded campaigns and companies in the world. The top ten most highly ranked campaigns and companies in the 2022 WARC Creative 100 are:

Compiled by WARC, the international marketing insights company, the Creative 100 (www.warc.com/rankings/creative-100) Ranking is produced by combining the results of the industry’s most important global and regional creative award shows tracked throughout 2021. The awards tracked are determined by a worldwide industry survey and in consultation with the WARC Rankings Advisory Board (www.warc.com/rankings/about).

#1 Campaign: #wombstories for Bodyform/Libresse/Libra by AMV BBDO London
The most creatively celebrated campaign of 2021, #wombstories for feminine hygiene brand Bodyform/Libresse/Libra, used the power of storytelling to embrace the complexity and reality of womanhood. Whilst heartbreaking, the campaign by AMV BBDO London, is designed to tackle taboos and make women proud of their bodies.

Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott, Chief Creative Officers, AMV BBDO, said: “Wombstories has been our most profound and complex undertaking – both emotionally and technically. Daring to listen and dive into the darker side of people’s experiences with their wombs and wrestling an octopus of a campaign with so many arms that all had to live up to our ambition of creativity and empathy. But complexity is worth it, to leave millions of people feeling understood and, in many cases, reach out to each other to finally share their womb stories.”

In second place is True Name for Mastercard by McCann New York. The campaign demonstrated its support for the LGBTQIA+ community in the USA by launching the first payment product where people could feature their chosen name on their card. Third, is Donation Dollar, a campaign for Royal Australian Mint by Saatchi & Saatchi Melbourne, whereby a donation coin was created to support charities.

#1 Creative Agency: Publicis Milan
Up from third place last year, crowning agency Publicis Milan has four campaigns in the top 100: for Diesel (x2), Heineken and Barilla. AMV BBDO London follows closely behind with two campaigns, one for Macmillan Cancer support as well as the highest ranked #wombstories. Africa Sao Paulo is in third place with four campaigns for House of Lapland, SporTV, Folha de SP and Associacao Brasileira de Psiquiatria.

Bruno Bertelli, Global Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Worldwide, said: “Being ranked number 1 Agency of the Year in the WARC Creative 100 Ranking is testament to hard work, a proven model of data and creativity and the bravery of our people and clients. We continue to push each other to go further and be better and it is paying off. Congratulations to everyone at Publicis Italy.

#1 Creative Network: Ogilvy
Retaining its top spot for a second consecutive year is Ogilvy, with four agencies in the top 50 contributing points to its total, including DAVID Miami and DAVID Madrid both ranked in the top five. Publicis Worldwide and DDB Worldwide follow in second and third place respectively.

Liz Taylor, Global Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, said: “It’s thrilling to be named the most creative network in the world by WARC. Earning this designation for the second consecutive year speaks to the hard work and dedication of our teams across the globe who continuously deliver unforgettable ideas that have an impact for our clients. This accomplishment is also a testament to the borderless creativity that unites our network across geographies, capabilities, and cultures. I want to thank everyone at Ogilvy for their contributions, and our brave and valued clients for their partnership, collaboration, and trust.”

#1 Holding Company: Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group moves up one place to take pole position. WPP drops to second place and Interpublic Group remains in third.

#1 Brand: Burger King
Fast-food chain Burger King is top creative brand for the fourth consecutive year, with six campaigns ranked in the top Creative 100 for four markets – Mexico, Spain, UK and USA. Bodyform/Libresse/Libra follows in second place, and Mastercard is in third, up from #25 last year.

#1 Advertiser: AB InBev
Brewing giant AB InBev, which has steadily climbed the Creative 100 Rankings over the past few years, takes top spot this year. Restaurant Brands International drops to second, and Unilever climbs to third place up from seventh last year.

Pedro Earp, Chief Marketing Officer, AB InBev, said: “We are humbled to be ranked number one in creativity. Our journey over the last five years has embedded creativity into our core resulting in significant business growth. This transformation has defined AB InBev by its creative excellence, strategic boldness and accelerated innovation. While our work is not over, today, we raise a glass to our people and our partners who have made it their mission to create a future of more cheers.”

#1 Country: USA
USA retains its place as the most creatively awarded market in the world by far. The UK remains second, and France moves up to claim third place.

Summing up, David Tiltman, SVP, Content, WARC, said: “The top campaigns from the Creative 100 Ranking show how marketers are increasingly trying to highlight untold stories. Many give a voice to sections of society that may not have been properly represented in the past – for example, #wombstories and The Bread Exam focus on women’s health and the conversations around it. We’ve also seen campaigns addressing the LGBTQIA+ community’s need for individual recognition, amplifying the voices of Black youth, and showing the danger that Mexican journalists face daily. All explored important issues that have historically been ignored.”

The WARC Creative 100 has been compiled by applying a rigorous, unbiased and transparent methodology (www.warc.com/rankings/creative-100/methodology).

The WARC Creative 100 Ranking can be viewed in full here (www.warc.com/rankings/creative-100). It includes the world’s top 100 awarded campaigns for creativity, top 50 creative agencies, agency networks, brands, advertisers, countries and top holding companies. The campaigns, case studies, credits and subsequent insights reports are available to WARC Rankings subscribers.

About WARC – The global authority on marketing effectiveness
WARC is an Ascential company. Ascential delivers specialist information, analytics and ecommerce optimisation platforms to the world’s leading consumer brands and their ecosystems. Our world-class businesses improve performance and solve problems for our customers by delivering immediately actionable information combined with visionary longer-term thinking across Digital Commerce, Product Design and Marketing. We also serve customers across Retail & Financial Services. With more than 2,000 employees across five continents, we combine local expertise with a global footprint for clients in over 120 countries. Ascential is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For over 30 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. WARC services include 96,000+ case studies, best practice guides, research papers, special reports, advertising trend data, news & opinion articles, as well as webinars, awards, events and advisory services. WARC operates out of London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai, servicing a community of over 75,000 marketers in more than 1,200 companies in 100+ markets and collaborates with 50+ industry partners.

About WARC Rankings – Creative 100
The WARC Creative 100 is a ranking of the world’s most awarded campaigns and companies for creativity. It compiles the results of award shows that ran the year prior to its publication (e.g. the 2022 rankings reflect the results of award shows that ran in 2021). The Creative 100 (formerly the Gunn Report) has run since 1999 and sits alongside the WARC Media 100 and the WARC Effective 100.

To compile the WARC Creative 100, WARC tracks different creative advertising competitions around the world. Campaigns and the brands and agencies behind them are awarded points based on the prizes they win in those competitions.

The WARC Creative 100 methodology follows the approach of the WARC Effective 100 methodology, which was developed in consultation with an independent third party: Douglas West, professor of marketing and programme director at King’s College, London.

In order of overall show weighting, the following shows are included in this year’s rankings:

Global:
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
D&AD
The One Show
Clio Awards
London International Awards (LIA)

Regional:
APAC: Spikes Asia, Adfest
Europe: Eurobest, Golden Drum
Middle East & Africa: Dubai Lynx, Loeries
LATAM: El Ojo de Iberoamerica

Contact:

Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
amanda.benfell@warc.com

Insights from YouTube Works 2020-2021 reveal how brands can leverage the power of online video in the marketing mix

Online video is where culture is being cross-pollinated between brands, creators, fans and viewers. Every minute, 300 hours of content are uploaded on YouTube. One billion hours of content are watched on the platform every day and watch time has grown by 60% in the past year. At a time of unprecedented change, online video has emerged as an opportunity for brands to stay in tune and contribute regularly to interpret and recreate culture.

“Brand-building at the speed of culture: The role of online video in Asia” is a new white paper released today by WARC, in partnership with YouTube, which looks at how brands can leverage culture to amplify their role in Asia’s online video landscape.

Providing key lessons for marketers, the report is derived from an analysis of the winners of YouTube Works 2020-2021 awards from across Asia, accompanied by industry insights and best practices from WARC.

Gautam Ramdurai, Head of YouTube Ads Marketing APAC, says: “We’ve partnered with WARC to understand how brands in the region have been keeping pace with shifting cultural trends and consumer behaviours to reach engaged customers on online video. In particular, we were curious to uncover common themes among winning YouTube Works campaigns and standout case studies across Asia.

“Our hope is to offer insights that all of us can use to be better brand builders, better content creators and most of all, better storytellers.”

Gabey Goh, Asia Editor, WARC, added: “Not all stories are told through video but all videos tell a story. Leveraging online video as the medium to keep pace with the ever-shifting parameters of cultural trends has proven effective for many brands. The winning YouTube Works awards case studies outlined in this report from across Asia share a common thread: All are anchored by nuanced cultural insights powering a creative and well-told story, executed seamlessly using the features and power of digital media to its fullest potential.”

The key insights outlined in “Brand building at the speed of culture: The role of online video in Asia” are:
– Pull cultural levers for emotional impact
Asia has a rich legacy of storytelling and success is dependent on how a brand story fits the cultural narrative and how well it resonates with the intended audience.

As seen with Kleenex Viva (www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ6jzjyJ5ZM) in Taiwan, brands should align with relevant subcultures to find new stories that entertain, resonate and invite the community to share and amplify.

Leveraging humour in all its forms – from the absurd and irreverent, to wordplay, slapstick, and deadpan – is also an effective means to achieve an emotional connection and audience sharing. 21% of the winning case studies, including RC Cola (www.youtube.com/watch?v=001t19lgVhg) in the Philippines and Delicare Ms (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGJIp0eKoDY) in Japan, used humour.

Traditions, rituals and festive celebrations have been reimagined digitally following COVID. Like Mondelez – Cadbury (www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBWLm6Sx1WI) in India, marketers should explore the interplay between culture and technology to find new opportunities to reinvent rituals in a way that enriches audiences.

– Take a new approach to building fame
Online personalities and creators who invest in building and strengthening the relationship with their highly engaged audiences, create opportunities for impactful brand collaborations.

Finding original, transparent and relatable ways to collaborate authentically with content creators is key, especially with Gen Z audiences, as seen by Bear Brand ImmD (www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6BIhgQI_QA) in Thailand.

Brands can leverage this insight and weave it intentionally into their brand-building efforts. The study found that 27% of the winning case studies that used online video were able to evoke consumer participation.

Listening to fans and reacting quickly to current events and topics dominating conversations online can also be a powerful way of amplifying a brand’s message, such as Amazon Prime in India.

– Activate purpose through community
A recent Kantar study showed that 31% of Asian consumers put a company’s positive impact on the community as among the top five most important brand attributes, whilst in WARC’s Marketer’s Toolkit 2021 (lp.warc.com/marketers-toolkit-2021-download.html), 60% of marketers in Asia agree that brands need to take a stand on social issues.

For businesses, supporting the community and having a clearly articulated purpose are now critical to success, and these often require navigating local complexities and nuances.

Like Nike (www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkkZAKmEMy4) in Japan and Rexona (Unilever) (www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1t8Bh3Jyc) in Indonesia, strong storytelling via online video can help marketers bring their brand purpose to life, promote inclusive activities, and cultivate positive habits.

To help brands leverage the power of online video for effective marketing, the whitepaper includes full chapter analysis, WARC Best Practice, YouTube Works jury views and case study examples.

A complimentary copy of the report is available to download here (content.ascential.com/Download-YouTube-Works-Insights-Report.html).

Contact:

Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
+44 20 7467 8125
amanda.benfell@warc.com

• The survey-led white paper explores new and effective opportunities for brands and retailers to sell directly to consumers through social commerce
  
• 80% of TikTok users say the platform helps them get ideas about brands and products they had never thought of before

WARC, in partnership with TikTok (www.tiktok.com) and Publicis Groupe (www.publicisgroupe.com/fr/splash), have today released a new study exploring the role social communities play in influencing purchase decisions, outlining the huge potential for brands to engage with audiences and increase unplanned purchases by narrowing the funnel between product discovery and purchase.

Alex Brownsell, Senior Editor – Media, WARC said: “As social media’s popularity and influence continue to grow, community commerce is rapidly evolving to provide an innovative, effective and fast-paced way for brands and retailers to sell directly to consumers. The findings in this report will help marketers seize new opportunities to deliver brand growth through these social communities.”

The survey-led study, “From Discovery to Purchase: The Role of Community Commerce”, outlines the following insights:
(1) Community commerce as an emerging opportunity
Accelerated by the ongoing shift to digital, community commerce – defined in this report as entertaining creator-driven social content featuring brands – sits at the intersection of community, shopping and entertainment.

With the right approach and authenticity, brands can fit seamlessly into this social environment and engage with audiences as they congregate around particular interests, hashtags or creative stories. Brands offering genuine value exchange and willingness to test and learn are already reaping the rewards.

Amy Lanzi, EVP, North America Practice Lead, Publicis Commerce, comments: “The intersection of community, shopping and entertainment is what’s really different about TikTok. I can move from being entertained by my favourite creators into a shopping moment – or telling my friends about it or sharing it – pretty easily.”

(2) Discovery and inspiration disrupt the path to purchase
Social platforms have disrupted the purchase journey, which is now led by spontaneous discovery and inspiration. Every moment on a platform is an opportunity for conversion, and authentic creativity is key to attracting and retaining the audience’s attention.

With social platforms inspiring 70% of consumers to shop, even when they weren’t looking to, the power of community can drive engagement and stimulate decision-making.

John Dillon, EVP, Chief Brand Officer, Denny’s says “… The creative should be based in that community. Don’t do ads, do stories. That’s really the magic we see and that’s why platforms like TikTok have the ability to enable brands to get back to being creative and telling stories.”

(3) Propelling purchase decisions
Social platforms’ role as a connector makes it an ideal place for brands to reach their audiences, and by collaborating with creators, brands aren’t just placing themselves in front of people anymore, they’re becoming part of communities, and that drives action.

To maximise opportunities, brands must make the most of technologies that facilitate a seamless community commerce experience. All product categories have the potential to convert audiences: beauty, clothing and accessories led the way, and now luxury and automotive are also maximising opportunities.

Daniela Mercado, Head of Mobile Marketing, Samsung Electronics America, notes: “Beauty and fashion are definitely leaders in social media. They have done an incredible job, and because of the success that they have seen, the more expensive brands are following.”

(4) Content creators are the new brand storytellers
Creators are invaluable for driving the engagement that facilitates community commerce. They boost discovery (78%), educate and inform their audiences (76%), and inspire their audiences to try new products (73%).

Community is the new version of word-of-mouth, making it a powerful force for all types of social commerce, and the opinions of followers can boost or block sales. It stimulates belonging, information-sharing, and ultimately demand for your product through the powerful influence it can wield.

Kevin Shapiro, Senior Vice President, US Marketing – Consumer Beauty, Coty, said: “Influencers are really important because they each have their own reason for loving our brands. It’s fun to discover why someone is using our products, and we like to elevate and share those voices of discovery because they are authentic and true.”

The “From Discovery to Purchase: The Role of Community Commerce” study is based on a global survey of 2,230 consumers, 18-45 year-olds using two or more social media platforms (including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Kwai), across 11 markets (Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States), as well as one-on-one interviews with 18 C-suite marketing leaders (including Coty, Denny’s, Disney Parks, Mondelez, Monster, Nestle, Samsung Electronics, TikTok and Publicis Groupe) and analysis of WARC’s latest proprietary research.

A complimentary copy of the report is available to download from content.ascential.com/tiktok-report-download.html. The study includes chapter analysis, data analytics, case studies, expert commentary from industry leaders and implications for brands.

Contact:

Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
+44 20 7467 8125
amanda.benfell@warc.com