Mindstream Media Group Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Dillard’s

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Lisa Wytrwal

On September 11, Mindstream Media Group celebrates a 20-year business relationship with Dillard’s. We are proud to have maintained such a lengthy partnership with the national department store chain, as it confirms the value provided to the brand through innovative and impactful advertising and media strategy. We are looking to the future and are excited to continue bringing integrated, multichannel solutions with positive business results to the Dillard’s brand.

Dillard’s Inc. was founded by William T. Dillard in 1938 in Nashville, Arkansas and is now headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dillard’s Inc. department store chain now ranks among the nation’s largest fashion retailers, with 250 locations and 32 clearance centers spanning 29 states and operates online at dillards.com.

Dillard’s “focuses on delivering style, quality and value to its customers by offering premium fashion apparel, beauty and home collections from both national and exclusive brand sources. Dillard’s complements this curated merchandise assortment with exceptional, client-focused customer care.”

When Dillard’s joined the agency client roster in 2001 (formerly as Southwest Media Group), it grew the size of the agency business by almost 50 percent. It also was the first of many retail clients to follow. Now, 20 years later, the partnership continues to grow and evolve along with the rapidly changing media landscape.

About Mindstream Media Group

Mindstream Media Group is a national, full-solution media agency comprised of bold, strategic advisors who exist to Fast-Forward Your Business. We understand the need for urgency at all times, operating at an energetic pace to deliver meaningful progress on well-defined goals. With a full range of digital and traditional capabilities, Mindstream Media Group works with national and multi-location brands to scale momentum and growth.

Political Advertising Implications for Brands

Posted on September 14, 2020September 14, 2020 by Lisa Wytrwal

The pandemic’s impact on advertising budgets and strategy has been significant over the last several months, causing understandable and cautious shifts as brands navigate the evolving landscape. And while COVID continues to disrupt life as we knew it before, we can’t forget about another looming factor that will impact our media and economic climate – the U.S. presidential election.

Now that we’re in the political advertising window (September 4 – November 3, 2020), what do advertisers need to be aware of and consider in regard to their media strategy?

In this article, we’ll provide research and insights from our team on how the next couple of months could be impacted by political advertising.

When approaching this topic, we started with the IDEA framework, as we do with other Mindstream Media Group strategies.

IMMERSE: We looked to the past and what we know about the current climate.

DEFINE: We explored the importance of assigning value to media. If you didn’t measure it, did it even happen?

EXECUTE: We determined how quickly media can be launched or pulled, should an opportunity or threat present itself.

AMPLIFY: We summarized what we believe it takes for brands to win during political advertising season.

The Political Media Landscape

Political investments are expected to surpass $6 billion easily and could reach as high as $10 billion. That means there may be media supply issues, which would likely impact cost and also our decision to pursue certain media channels for our clients.

Let’s talk about what that means for our investment in media.

Digital CPMs

Looking at the last four years of data on digital CPMs – starting with the 2016 presidential election, there’s been a steady rate increase representative of inflation, more advertisers investing in digital and more digital placements and sites available.

2016 Presidential Election Window

During the election window in 2016, the first week of October showed a spike in digital CPMs. That was, of course, the week of the contentious second debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and the same time that a controversial news story broke about Trump. Average CPMs were higher during this week than during the actual election week in November.

Election Year V. Not

Of course, we can’t just look at one year – we have to compare October/November CPMs to non-election years as well. There are certain correlations between CPM and election windows, but why is that? The short answer is, more news drives more consumption, which increases demand, which in turn, increases ad price.

What’s the lesson here? Large news events leading up to the election window itself, even weeks out, have just as much or even more bearing on media impact. We can’t predict when the next leak or big story will happen, but we can prepare for it.

Television is Similarly Uncertain

Similar to digital, we’ve already begun to see political TV spend take off, but spending projections are all over the board. Political spending is always fairly uncertain, which in 2020 will ring especially true.

According to Kantar research, Broadcast TV and National Cable projections for 2020 range from $1.5 billion (if following the 2016 trend) up to $5 billion (if following the 2012 trend). That’s a huge projected range, but in general, we can expect a five to ten percent increase in TV CPMs.

2020 Political Spending on Video

2020 spend on TV advertising alone is projected to be 88 percent higher than during the 2016 presidential election and 30 percent higher than the 2018 midterm election.

Streaming video is shaping up to be the future of political advertising. With multiple platforms, better geographic and demographic targeting and huge, consistently growing viewership, 2020 spend has more than doubled since 2018. This year, digital video is on par with the 2016 broadcast level, and we can only expect to see it rise exponentially for the next election year.

A Political Election, in COVID Conditions

Think of all the major events cancelled this year – events that would have drawn media dollars from the world’s largest brands. It’s important to know that the channels with limited availability (like broadcast TV and radio) will be under even more pressure during this window, given the revenue catch-up game in play. Remember that projected TEN BILLION DOLLARS?

Remarkably, our research shows that from a political media buying perspective, only two channels were seriously injured by COVID: out-of-home (OOH) and experiential. This was for obvious reasons, too – we were asked to stay in our homes and of course, not experience anything, with anyone. In a typical election year, OOH and experiential ads are a large part of political campaigns, but since there are less drivers on the road, initially due to shelter-in-place orders and now due to the work-from-home boom, billboards aren’t as much of a priority.

It’s a shame not many will actually see this billboard – that’s good creative!

While OOH also includes bus shelters, benches, elevators, airport terminals, transit stations, cabs, buses, gyms, movie theaters, shopping centers, etc. in addition to billboards – those are also ALL locations where there’s been a huge decrease in foot traffic, and in turn, less eyeballs likely to see the advertising message.

Experiential marketing was the hardest hit, as political events and rallies were postponed or cancelled due to COVID restrictions. And although the candidates have shifted those in-person events to online events, both attendance and audience engagement have suffered tremendously.

What Will We Get for Our Investment?

Sales data is powerful. If you can’t measure it, did it really even happen?

Now more than ever, media must fight harder to break through all the noise, especially during the airing of political ads. It’s critical to measure what we get from that fight. With a hospital client, for example, we developed a growth formula – the “what would have been if it weren’t for COVID” scenario. We couldn’t have arrived at this formula without key revenue data from the client. From this, we developed a strategy to directly target the “backlog,” those looking to have elective procedures performed.

And if that’s not hard enough, per FCC regulations, political ads get precedence, meaning other advertisers could get bumped.

COVID has impacted sales in a huge way for many brands and clients, and this example illustrates a strategy aimed at recovering revenue lost to facility closures – which could not have been enacted without the sales data to inform the strategy.

Agility is Key During a Political Window

The good news is, we have options, but they require an agile planning and buying workflow from the beginning. Select digital tactics offer alternatives in short order. For example, a TV alternative may be connected TV, while for radio it may be podcasts or streaming audio.

As an agency, we have ideal and emergency campaign setup windows outlined, and while more lead time is always better, the takeaway is that we can move fast or shift channels if we need to. Agility is key.

General Election Basics

As we enter the 2020 general election window, keep these political advertising basics in mind. They affect all types of media and all advertisers.

Candidates (federal, state and local) can purchase ads at the lowest unit rate given to any political advertiser.
Media stations can limit political inventory, but also must provide reasonable access to it.
All dayparts must be made available.
Stations can limit or exclude inventory in news programs.

How Brands Can Win (or, Not Lose)

With the volatility of the political advertising season, some brands may choose to avoid October altogether. With the right strategy (and media partner) though, the volatility can be minimized and planned around. Some considerations include having one strategy for “toss-up” states versus “safe” states, diversifying the media mix to plan for political preemptions and adopting an agile reinvestment plan to create flexibility.

Takeaways to consider:

All media will be affected by political ads.
A state-by-state or regional variation in media strategy must be taken into account versus a national campaign.
Agility is key in navigating the political advertising season.
A media partner with nationwide buying power combined with local market expertise is a brand’s best bet to maximize efforts.
Embrace a multi-channel approach to reinforce your message.

In this ever-critical lean-burning time where media is under increased scrutiny, it’s important for us to show that a brand’s media mix is effectively reaching the target audience. Building agility into the strategy will help our clients win.

Marketing Isn’t Everything: A Look at One Customer’s Journey

Posted on August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 by Lisa Wytrwal

As a marketer myself, it’s difficult to say that “marketing isn’t everything.” Ideally, if you have a great marketing strategy, the business would come rolling in. But, as we all know, that’s just not the case. Marketing is a small (but absolutely necessary) part of the process of growing a business.

Businesses exist to make money. Yes, there may be another goal of helping people, doing good for the community or advancing a cause, but the bottom line is what determines whether that business will continue to exist.

So why is it so hard for some companies to make a sale? Some seem to have a “secret sauce” for success, while others struggle. The customer journey plays a large role in the process.

Don’t be so quick to blame poor marketing for lagging sales. Before cutting your marketing spend, take a look at your sales process as well. Much has been said about the relationship between marketing and sales, and rightfully so. One can’t work without the other. They complement each other and sometimes are one in the same. But in cases where the processes and strategy are executed separately, they must be cohesive and focused on the end goal: growing the business. And at every step, the customer experience must be taken into consideration.

Let me give you a personal recount of why this is currently top of mind, and stress the importance of not only an integrated marketing strategy, but of every touchpoint your brand has with a customer.

In dealing with three different situations over the last few days requiring price quotes and the sales process, it’s clear why some businesses are not set up for success. Marketing is important, but if there are gaps in the rest of the process, you’re not only falling short on business goals, but also likely disappointing potential customers.

Situation 1.

Temps have been in the 90s for the last several weeks, so between the sultry weather and working from home full time, my air conditioner is working overtime. I also had family in town for a few days, so add more warm bodies and more indoor/outdoor activity. We noticed the A/C just wasn’t keeping up with the ideal temperature setting. Since the cooling unit is about 20 years old, we decided it was time to get a quote to replace it.

As my husband is a marketing person also, but works primarily in the HVAC industry, he naturally jumped at the opportunity to own this process. Between search, local advertising and previous knowledge of a few contractors in the area, he started making a list of companies to call. And for the sake of experimentation, he even wrote out a script to use when asking for an appointment, to ensure a fair comparison.

The results, which are still in progress as the quotes come in, are already staggering.

Some companies didn’t answer the phone.
Some voicemail greetings were along the lines of, “Hi, this is Melissa (or whoever). I check my messages after hours, so I’ll get back to you soon.” No company name was mentioned.
One contractor, after calling us back 9 hours after our initial inquiry, asked if we could text him our address and a few available appointment times.
After speaking to (or leaving a message for) at least nine companies, telling them specifically that we want to get a quote for a NEW air conditioning unit (a contractor’s top goal, by the way), we were only able to book four appointments.
We still haven’t received a return call from three contractors.
One appointment didn’t even show up after scheduling a 7 a.m. time slot. Rude!
One company, to their credit, arrived promptly at the scheduled time after calling ahead to let us know they were on their way. Great communication, but as they were only in my house less than 10 minutes, I was left with the feeling that they’re not doing a thorough-enough job evaluating the situation. If I’m going to drop thousands of dollars on a large ticket item like this, it’s a business’s job to make me feel good about it. Maybe not great, but at least that I’m not getting ripped off. Or at least make me feel like you understand my problem and that they are doing their best to give me a solution that works for my situation. As my husband (who is having a field day with this process) says, it’s a proven statistic that when contractors/salespeople spend longer in the house, the customer is more likely to buy.
The emailed quote from one contractor listed four different options ranging from $7,000-$12,000. While each option had bullet points of equipment specs, warranties and features, the average homeowner would have no idea what the differences are. The email body was clearly a template with no personalized information and barely scraped by as being helpful to me as a consumer.

Situation 2.

When it rains, it pours. While said family was visiting, the main floor drain in the basement (where they were staying) decided to get clogged, resulting in an unfortunate hour of pulling up carpet tiles, moving furniture, lots of spray cleaner and sweat (due to Situation 1). We needed to fix the problem ASAP. Let me add that by this point, it was 11 p.m. on a Saturday night. Convenient!

After searching online, we found a few local plumbers with good reviews. Since late night on the weekend is not really a great time to call around for quotes, we chose one to see what our options were. He was willing to come on over right then, but the price was steep: $250 just to show up, then whatever other cost to fix the problem would be additional. We decided to rough it for the night and booked him for the next morning at 9 a.m. (Sunday). He showed up a few minutes early, smiled, was friendly, fixed the problem and was on his way in about an hour. After expecting hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage, it turned out to be a fairly simple issue resolved at a little less than the $250 rush charge that we would have paid the night before.

Could we have rented a snake machine and done the same thing this guy did? Yes. Would we have? Heck-to-the-no. There are things plumbers do that nobody else wants to do. And they know it. I was thankful to shell out $200 to make this unfortunate issue go away.

On the other hand, there are people who will do anything possible to avoid paying the expert, hoping to save a little cash and take on a project themselves. In the advertising industry, we see this a lot.

Situation 3.

I manage a subscription service for one of our agency accounts. That subscription plan is coming up for renewal in a few weeks. Our account representative reached out via email about six weeks in advance of the expiration to see if we could set up a time to discuss renewal options, etc.

My first thought was, “Why do we need to set up a meeting for this? Why can’t you just email me some information and we’ll go from there?”

I agreed to the meeting. It started with chit-chat, pandemic happenings, etc. and then proceeded to the details. She confirmed our contact info, billing address, all the basics. Then we talked about package options and costs. There was no waiting for an emailed estimate or any further delay in the process. I left the conversation with a pleasant feeling and all the information necessary to make a buying decision.

While this situation was quite different than the previous two, it just goes to show that a little effort can go a long way. It’s not always about the sale. You can’t always go into a situation trying to sell. Make small talk. Nurture a lead. Provide information. Listen to the customer. Then, give them what they’re asking for. Don’t inhibit the sales process.

So, what have I, as a marketer learned from my experiences over the last few days? Nothing really that new, sadly. I am continuously amazed at the lack of effort some businesses show, while pleasantly surprised by the small things some do to make an impression.

Key Takeaways

Here are some key marketing takeaways from these situations, plus solutions to consider in order to avoid pain points in the customer journey and improve your overall strategy:

Reviews are crucial. Potential customers want to know about the experiences others have had, whether good or bad. Lowest price doesn’t always win – fairness, friendliness and professionalism play a role among many other factors. Also, we know that reviews affect your ranking in search. Consider a reputation management or listings management solution to get started.
A little bit of follow-through effort goes a long way. Return calls and messages. Are you missing calls or messages, or choosing not to follow up? People (potential customers) are reaching out to you because they want to do business with you. Make it easy for them. Call tracking can help identify the gaps.
Customers are happier when you set expectations. Even a small effort to over-communicate your process can help make the customer feel at ease. If you set an appointment time or window, show up. Or at least call if something changes. Ask their preference on getting an estimate on paper or via email. Let them know how long the process will take. If your process has changed due to COVID or otherwise, tell people what to expect and how you’re handling the situation differently to keep everyone safe. Your brand’s Google My Business profile is a great place to showcase this information.
Marketing and sales must work together. Marketing generates calls, emails and leads, setting the sales team up for success. But if something is missing or off in the sales process, that’s the end. Take a look at your full customer journey. What messages are they seeing? Is your messaging strategy driving them further down the funnel?
Your team must know the goal. If your company is in the business of selling things, especially if part of that process involves coming into a home and giving a customer a quote, every step is necessary and valuable. From a uniform to a person’s demeanor, all the way to the price quote, all factors must reinforce a consistent brand image and have the same goal in mind. On the same note, ensure that your advertising is also communicating a consistent message across channels.
Know your value. Rush work and premium services should cost extra. Specialized skills earn higher rates. Cheaper isn’t always better. If you’re doing the dirtier jobs (whether actually dirty or not), consider the demand for your skillset and the value your uniqueness provides. At Mindstream Media Group, we pride ourselves on unique solutions that drive business forward. While there may be lower cost agencies, think about the added value that a growth-minded partner can provide.
You could probably save money by doing something yourself, but shouldn’t you just trust an expert to do the job more efficiently and accurately? Whether it’s plumbing or advertising, do yourself a favor and hire a professional.

While it’s true that marketing isn’t indeed everything, it can also be said that everything is marketing. From that first phone call or voicemail greeting, to a representative’s appearance, to the sales call follow-up, it’s all marketing. And it’s up to all of us to make that customer journey a little bit better.

From search to review management, call tracking to customer journey strategy, and much more, it helps to have a partner on your side. If you’re struggling with the details or need a strategic advisor to help, reach out to our team.

Mindstream Media Group is Taking ACTION

Posted on July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 by Lisa Wytrwal

It’s been several weeks since solid black images filled social media feeds around the world, signifying people coming together to quiet the usual trending topics in favor of amplifying the voices of the Black community, in a time where those voices are too often being underrepresented.

Shortly after that, the Mindstream Media Group ACTION committee first met to discuss the current state of social injustice we’re seeing play out in America, to have difficult discussions with our colleagues around race and race relations in our country and to formulate ways we can make an impact – both within our agency environment and beyond.

In the coming weeks and months, we will be expanding the conversation, via a phased approach, to include the rest of our agency in the initiatives outlined below. This is just a start; the conversation is truly never-ending. Our hope is that these next steps will pave the way for all of us at Mindstream Media Group to gain a better understanding of the injustice happening around us and prompt us to do our part to foster equal representation of all people.

Phase 1: Internal Reflection and Discussion
- As one of our first initiatives, we will be forming small, internal groups to facilitate uncomfortable conversations within our work environment, focused on specific topics, tasks and outcomes.
- We’ll then bring our findings back into a larger group discussion with a spokesperson from each small group.
Phase 2: Community Relations and Outreach
- Begin a social media initiative supporting local minority-owned businesses via our agency’s social presence. Our first initiative will be focused on the Black community.
- Build relationships with local high schools, colleges, and Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) – specifically looking into recruitment/internship opportunities, presenting about the advertising industry and possible career paths.
- Look into participating in local high school career days and other opportunities to influence and mentor students, especially within the underrepresented Black community.
- Support a local Black-owned business through strategic media planning.
Phase 3: Continuous Training and Education
- Seek out guest speakers to present to the agency to improve our understanding of and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Gain an understanding of racial diversity within the media agencies we work with and best ways to put our clients in a position to make an informed decision on where they’re spending their media dollars.

As a final takeaway, we shared some tangible ways for our employees to begin having these conversations with themselves and those closest to them. We urge you to take a few minutes to explore the links below, as well:

The Mindstream Media Group ACTION committee looks forward to getting more of our employees involved in the conversation and sharing updates on the progress of our initiatives. Our goal is to develop a long-term plan which will become our enhanced, ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion going forward. We’re taking ACTION against the tremendous social injustices in our society and hope that our progress inspires you to do the same.

2020 Trends in Financial Services Marketing

Posted on February 25, 2020February 27, 2020 by Lisa Wytrwal

There are more ways to reach consumers, or your potential clients, than ever before. Digital channels, social platforms and targeting capabilities are growing at a tremendous rate, but which industries are using these to the best of their ability and where do the opportunities lie?

The financial services category is keeping pace with other verticals in terms of overall ad spend, but let’s take a deeper look at some of the current trends (and opportunities) in this industry.

Trends in Financial Services Marketing

Which industries are spending the most on digital? According to eMarketer, the top five include retail, automotive, financial services, telecom and CPG products.

Financial Services places second in digital ad spend

Looking more specifically at the financial services category, that $15.69 billion digital spend is expected to reach $18.25 billion in 2020, overtaking automotive to claim the number two ranking in terms of overall ad spend.

The rise of mobile

While financial services’ year-over-year digital ad spending growth rate aligns with the average for other industries, this industry in particular has leaned heavily into mobile – more so than other verticals – with the goal of making financial products more accessible to a wider variety of users – specifically, younger users – through their mobile devices.

Mobile accounted for 69.4 percent of total financial services ad spend (at $10.88 billion) in 2019 and will increase to 73.1 percent in 2020. Compared with other verticals, financial services over-indexes on mobile spend and is second only to retail in terms of overall mobile spend.

“Millennials are more digitally focused than previous generations. And identifying a meaningful, relevant way to connect with them through products they find interesting is a priority for financial services advertisers. This is indicated in financial advertisers’ increase of mobile spend. They realize it’s important to connect with users where they are accessing, researching and using financial products,” according to Sarah Scherer of digital media buying firm Goodway Group.

Comparatively, desktop budgets in financial services are growing slower than other verticals – 2019 desktop spend in financial services grew 9.6 percent while total desktop across industries grew 12.8 percent.

Display and search are dominant formats

In 2019, financial services advertisers spent $8.18 billion on display and $6.5 billion on search. While display spend increased by 18 percent from the previous year, search grew by over 21 percent, making it the fastest growing format for financial advertisers. In 2020, search spend is expected to reach $7.73 billion and will account for 42.3 percent of total financial services digital ad spend.

It’s worth noting that it’s not enough to simply have search and display campaigns at the national brand level. Potential customers need to know where to find a relevant local business associated with that brand. That’s where local search comes in, and it’s one of Mindstream Media Group’s primary media solutions.

Traditional media is still a key player

Even with the rise in digital media ad spending, traditional media still plays a key role in brand marketing campaigns. In 2020, advertisers will spend $151 billion on digital advertising while traditional media will bring in $107 billion.

In 2019, consumers spent an average of 354 minutes per day on print, radio and TV combined. Over five hours per day in consumer attention is huge for brand recognition, making traditional media a priority among financial services brands.

Consumer trust is high

Consumers trust the financial industry over any other industry to protect their data. Even more than the healthcare industry, consumers rely on their financial institutions to keep their personal data safe.

So, what drives consumer trust? First, a brand’s ability to protect consumer data from breaches, as well as not using the data without permission, Eighty-one percent of people say that a data breach would cause them to stop engaging with a brand, while 55 percent say a company sharing their data without permission would most likely deter them from using that brand’s products.

Some would argue that trust is about providing a personalized and data-driven customer experience, meaning financial brands actually use the data collected from consumers to improve and optimize not only their own strategies to provide meaningful communication, but also to make it easier for potential and current customers to do business with them.

It’s about embracing a comprehensive strategy across multiple channels, that customizes marketing messages to the targeted audience’s stage in their own buying journey.

Opportunities in Financial Services Marketing

Taking these trends in financial services marketing into consideration, let’s take a look at some of the opportunities that financial brands can consider.

Use the data (but only with permission)

Consumers have become accustomed to marketing personalization in their daily lives. Recommended products based on their browsing and purchase history, abandoned cart reminders and the ability to pick up where they left off in their favorite streaming shows have all proven the capability not only exists, but also that marketers are using their collected data to step up their game to enhance the customer experience.

It’s not enough to have the data or the technology to collect more, it’s about using it to provide a better customer experience. Sixty-five percent of financial marketers say that while they do use their institution’s data to discuss, educate and cross-sell customers, they don’t use it as often as they should or would like to.

There is a lot of opportunity to personalize marketing using consumer data, but with the caveat that users should have a means of granting permission to the usage of their personal data.

Optimize for voice search

Smart speaker usage is growing rapidly, surpassing 83 million U.S. users in 2020, 25 percent of the country’s population. While voice search marketing capabilities are still in the early days, one quarter of marketing professionals say that voice will be an extremely important marketing channel over the next 3-5 years. Prepare for the future of voice now via your keyword and content strategy, among others.

Explore content marketing formats

Financial marketers rate video marketing as the most effective content type they use, at over 44 percent, followed by blogs, eNewsletters, whitepapers and eBooks. Video can help answer consumers’ questions through tutorials, teach via a webinar format, inform with an interview or help humanize a brand by showcasing its employees.

Podcasts are also an increasingly popular content format in the financial community, so brands can and should take advantage of unique opportunities in this space. Podcasts have dedicated, highly engaged listeners and many of the ads are read by the hosts themselves. Fifty-four percent of podcast listeners are more likely to consider a brand after hearing it advertised on a podcast. Even more of a selling point for podcast advertising is that although some streaming platforms offer an ad-free subscription, listeners will still hear ads placed within podcast episodes.

Expand social beyond Facebook and LinkedIn

Twitter’s FinTwit community has become a huge resource and forum for elite investors, bankers, billionaires and advisors. While it’s still social in the fact that some content can be irrelevant or derail easily, following the right profiles and engaging in the right conversations can have a positive impact on brand engagement.

There’s no doubt the financial services industry has its own unique marketing trends and opportunities. What’s important for advertisers to remember, is that a unique and holistic marketing strategy must be forefront in order to grow.