Is media dead?

Goodmorning!

I’m back from my mini-break!  OMFG, what a gift it was to myself! Have you given yourself the gift of a mini-trip abroad yet? This escape was so so so very good for my mental sanity. Seriously, I can only advise you to do the same. I've always been taught that success is just a matter of discipline. So, the real question is, how do you keep up with the high demands, like an elite athlete?

Well, the answer is simple: be nice to yourself and take a break sometimes. Sure, this means that you might have to work maxi hard before and after your mini break to compensate. That's exactly what I did last week. But trust me, it was totally worth it! And I have a lot of inspiration to share with you 💡

➡️ Brandlove: Barbie shows print isn’t dead

I finally watched the Barbie movie. Because holiday = some extra time available. It's funny how late I am to this trend, but you know, life and priorities, haha :-) Even though I hadn't seen the movie, it doesn’t mean I've missed the amazing brand campaigns of 2023. And Barbie Marketing strikes gold (again!), continuing to do great things in 2024 apparently. Now, they are launching a Barbie coffee table book (🥰) featuring all the outfits Barbie/Margot Robbie wore in the movie and on the press tour. Barbie Marketing is successful yet again! If it isn't broken, don't fix it.

The marketing team behind Barbie was already generating millions of views with their social media campaigns. So what did they do next? They added something special to the original idea by creating a physical book. This is the perfect example of working smarter, not harder. Social media is essentially a free focus group of millions of people. Once you've identified an audience, all you need to do is add value to the exact concept they fell in love with initially.

In this case, it’s a genius coffee table book, but it can be any other line extension. Prediction: you’ll see this trend emerge in the industry, with more print collaborations between stylists, designers, and celebrities. Offline meeting online meeting cinema meeting television… Print is not dead, media is not dead, it's just evolving.

➡️ Industry News: Media is not dead

Speaking about media and not being dead. I was at the Jamie Awards this Friday. I have a long career in media: first in traditional radio and television, but also in children's television, where the first changes in media consumption were already visible over a decade ago. Meanwhile, I have also gained years of experience in online media, content creation, and consumption.

For me, it's both amusing and remarkable to live between these two worlds that have run quite parallel until now but are increasingly converging. I see my former colleagues from traditional media struggling with the changes and challenges. I see content creators, once underdogs, growing into more and more accepted voices. We're not there yet, but it's a very interesting journey!

If you need some help with your brand strategy and media presence in this rapidly evolving landscape, please contact me. I’m working on a tailored training program for organizations looking to upskill their teams in brand strategy, media management, and leadership. Remember, the journey through media's evolution is not just about adapting, it's about pioneering new ways of connecting and engaging!

➡️ Digital Marketing: The Humorous Battle of SEA

Recently, for my client FTILeuven (Flanders Technology & Innovation), I had to review our marketing channels and campaigns, which included our spending on SEA (Search Engine Advertising). Personally, I don't allocate budget for SEA, I've never been at a company where SEA seemed necessary. However, if I ever decide to use SEA, I'd approach it like this as a humorous battle.

I found these images on the twitter account (or X or whatever) of Tejas Rane, and it made me laugh. When you searched for 'canva alternative' on Google, an ad from Canva would appear saying, "There is no alternative" – a clever nod from Canva's SEA team. I attempted to find this ad myself, but it appears it's no longer running, or maybe it's just not available in Europe.

Basecamp's ad is another funny story in this SEA game. Their ad says "We don't want to run this ad," which is a clever way to show that they shouldn't have to advertise. They are already the first result when people search for them. But they have to pay for ads because other companies use Basecamp's name to advertise their own stuff. Basecamp's smart ad points out how strange it is to pay money just to stay in the top spot, even when they're already number one.

➡️ Client: an extra newsletter to read!

BTW, Did you know that since a few weeks i”m also writing the newsletters of FTILeuven? That’s another newsletter for you to read! (And another for me to write) I put my creativity and personality in it and it takes a lot of time, but you only can make something look like magic by going further than most reasonable people would go. The difference between great and world-class seems like a ton of work but that’s exactly what makes it so rewarding when you get there. That’s my own personal journey when it comes to storytelling.

Curious to read more? You can subscribe here!

➡️ Book to read: Greenlights

As if you don't have enough on your reading list, here's another tip I wanted to share with you. During my recent flight to and from my mini break, I had the chance to dive into the pages of Matthew McConaughey's fascinating book, "Greenlights." I initially picked it up due to a potential secret project on the horizon, but I can wholeheartedly recommend it to you as well!

"Greenlights" is not a typical celebrity memoir. It's a captivating and authentic journey through McConaughey's life, filled with remarkable stories, life lessons, and plenty of humor. McConaughey calls it a playbook, not an advice book, which aligns perfectly with the spirit of this newsletter! Like him, I believe in clearing my mind to welcome new ideas and experiences. In that spirit, I'm happy to share my trash can with all of you. 😜

Et voila, I'm done talking for this week. Be sure to follow me on LinkedIn for more stories! 👋