No, Millennials Are Not To Blame For Your Demise- You Are

I am fired up. Fired. Up. Why you ask? I recently came across and shared this article on LinkedIn by Business Insider, blaming Millennials for the demise of fast-casual food chains.

Blasphemous, right? Right. The inner strategist and market researcher in me nearly screamed aloud on the subway. Did the author of this article really place all of the blame for the demise of fast-casual franchise revenue onto the laps of millennial consumers? One of the biggest mistakes in brand management, in my opinion, is forgetting to manage the brand one is tasked with guarding. While vast departures from one’s roots are often out of the question, adapting to consumption habits, flavor profiles, and service demands should not be ruled out in order to maintain significant brand relevance among a generation categorized as being indecisive and often fluid with their brand loyalty.

Rather than sit back and watch revenues decline, fast-casual brands must actively probe and predict the tastes and preferences of their largest (and growing) target audience. This is easier said than done. Simply asking for the opinion of consumers is not enough; strategists and marketers must work to uncover the emotional drivers of behavior in order to properly pivot a business model for success in turbulent times.

I was recently shopping on my favorite online retailer, and came across a simple Net Promoter Score (NPS) question displayed in a pop-up window. As a research analyst I understand the value of employing an NPS question, but in this case uncovered a fatal flaw in their methodology. By only prompting me for my willingness to promote their brand, they neglected to uncover the emotional insights that would explain my lack of purchases within the past few months.

Had they probed deeper (beyond my simple response of a 9 on a 1-10 scale), they would have potentially uncovered my implicit thoughts about the brand, or how the brand makes me feel on a deeper, subconscious level. Instead, they only asked about my loyalty to their brand, garnering only half of the picture and my response. Yes, I am a brand promoter, but I am not willing to buy the products for myself at this time.

If I was in the shoes of a marketer in 2017 and was facing declining revenues due to an upset in consumer behavior, I would ensure that my armamentarium was filled with the most effective research tools that allowed me to tap into the next hottest trends before. This is something that many brand managers and strategists lack, settling instead for the status quo.

Asking just how loyal to a consumer is to a brand is no longer sufficient. We must probe deeper. Why is this consumer loyal to this specific brand (or not loyal). A simple NPS question does a fantastic job of determining the former, but what about the latter? I promise you; it does not involve fancy fMRI machines or heart rate monitors to determine brand loyalty, rather a different approach to asking the same research based questions. Research tools such as metaphor elicitation exercises, response latency questions and facial coding allow strategists to mine insights using unconscious measurements. These tools rejuvenate traditional quantitative research methods with augmented emotional metrics.

A Likert scale will tell marketers that Millennials prefer one brand to another, but will not explain the reason why they do. Still wondering why I am so fired up? Marketing and brand strategy is a minefield. One minute you are on top, the next you are recovering from damaging failed campaign attempts. The winners of this war have already begun to equip themselves with the research tools necessary to uncover deep-seated human truths before they become well known and mainstream.

Sitting back in a boardroom chair collectively scratching heads will not bring Millennials back into the doors of the fast-casual restaurants mentioned in the Business Insider article. Employing actionable market research designed to influence in store and product experiences based off of emotional insights will be a step in the right direction.

Brands must be managed. They are not set it and forget it BBQ smokers. In times when the current “in trend” can last for as short as 3 days, brands must begin to predict and take proactive steps to ensure that their business is positioned for success amid times of fluid tastes, preferences and consumer demands.

Garrett Meccariello is a brand strategist and market researcher based out of Boston. In his free time he can be found building the next great brand, exploring a new city, and eating a lot of cured meat and cheese.

Recruiters: 5 Things to Look For in Your Next Account or Strategic Planning New Hire

As May nears and you begin ramp to up your hiring process for new graduates in order to fill account planning, strategic planning, or research associate roles, it is imperative that you look for the following characteristics in prospective candidates:

1. An understanding of the field beyond the classroom:

Today’s business majors are taught to perform the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis with a blindfold on while simultaneously told how to compare the Red versus Blue Ocean strategies for a new product launch. However, they rarely have experience conducting research or presenting their thoughts to clients. Naturally, serious graduates will have expanded their educational knowledge base by practicing relevant skills to their career outside of the classroom.

2. Visionary thought leadership:

Digital marketers understand that in today’s world, content marketing is king. As my blog tag line states, “Your life is your brand, manage it”. One way to showcase one’s personal brand and unique thoughts on a certain topic is to actively publish original thought-sparking content on professional networking sites or blogs. It is necessary for these individuals to have demonstrated their digital authority within their domain.

3. A proven work ethic:

There are countless ways a candidate can pad their resume without stepping foot outside of their college dorm room from faking club memberships and other extracirriculars to having family members vouch for their “work” at the family business. These candidates naturally sort themselves out of the stack. If not apparent after a brief review of their social media channels or resume, these individuals often fail at making lasting first impressions during interviews (or –gulp-, the first day in the office). In comparison to these slackers, the perfect candidate does exist in the form of a graduate who has used their free time to explore their field with internships and extracurricular activities that affirm their commitment to their career and community.

4. Scrappiness:

When faced with a challenge hindering the completion of a project, the most qualified candidates will revert to their scrappy roots to aid in uncovering a solution that is both efficient and conscious of the budget. These candidates are the MacGyver of the office cubical. Give them a business problem stemming from human nature and watch them turn a stool in a coffee shop (and an unlimited refill cup) into insight heaven.

5. A passion for uncovering insights and building brands:

Regardless of a specific job function or role, a vast majority of research and advertising jobs are centered upon uncovering actionable insights and transforming those into strategies that support successful brand management. The best candidates will breathe brands, and dream of building them. Candidates who embody the research process while simultaneously possessing a keen understanding for human behavior will not be afraid of devoting countless hours to see a project from brief to launch.

If you have made it this far into the article, it is safe to assume that you are interested in hiring an account planner, strategic planner, or research analyst for your firm or agency within the next few months. Let me assure you that there are highly qualified millennial candidates out there. Often hidden behind the social stigmas that surround their generation, Millennials patiently wait in the wings for their curtain call. It is time to incorporate these individuals into your ranks and watch them flourish. Interested in hiring a candidate who possesses the traits listed above? My LinkedIn profile can be found here (I am an advertiser after all! ).

Garrett Meccariello is an aspiring brand strategist based out of NYC. In his free time he can be found building the next great brand, exploring the city, and eating a lot of cured meat and cheese.

5 Reasons to Date an Account Planner This Valentine’s Day

In the spirit of the “Holiday” (Valentine’s Day), I figured I would highlight the top 5 reasons to date an Advertising Account Planner. Curious what an Advertising Planner actually does? Read more here.

#1 They have done their date night research well before hand

Worried that your significant other forgot to make Valentine’s Day reservations? Your planner didn’t. They have already polled their friends’ opinion, conducted in-depth-interviews, and assembled a rock solid brief- well more like solid date night plans for your night out.

#2 They know how to carry themselves in public

A successful Planner is one who understands human behavior. I am willing to bet they won’t be tearing apart a loaf of bread with their bare hands like the person in the example below.

#3 They know when it’s time (or isn’t) to become “Facebook Official”

In 2017, Account Planners (and Media Planners too!) are required to give thought to how their briefs may lend themselves to constructing traditional and digital advertising campaigns. Your Planner will be well versed in the dos and don’ts of displaying your relationship on social media in an up to date way. You needn’t expect an errant post that embarrasses you in front of your friends.

#4 A planner is known for juggling many projects at once

Have you ever dreamed of being serenaded by a violinist at dinner while the waiter serves your favorite dessert? It takes a lot of skill to arrange all of those components at once. Like a conductor of a symphony, a Planner is skilled with bringing together multiple moving parts to create a piece of art. After all, you didn’t expect the violinist at a fancy Italian restaurant to waltz over to your table and play “Don’t Stop Believing”, your guilty pleasure song, without a few words beforehand, did you?

#5 You won’t be treated to anything average or boring

Part behavioral economist, part creative genius, Planners are paid to find an interesting spin on even the most boring subject (or brand). Have you ever seen an ad for something as simple as toilet tissue and thought, “wow that makes me feel comforted?” Chances are there was a planner behind that campaign that unearthed a unique human truth and created an architecture that was used to bring that moment to life. Planners are masters at spinning data from even the most mundane subjects into art that stops and make people say “wow”.

Are you still not convinced that a Planner may be the one for you? Don’t fret. After all, my favorite unofficial holiday is tomorrow; the day after Valentine’s Day 50% off candy sale.

Garrett Meccariello is an aspiring brand strategist based out of NYC. In his free time he can be found building the next great brand, exploring the city, and eating a lot of cured meat and cheese.

Brand Talk with Garrett

Your life is your brand, manage it.

Category: Account Planning

No, Millennials Are Not To Blame For Your Demise- You Are

Recruiters: 5 Things to Look For in Your Next Account or Strategic Planning New Hire

5 Reasons to Date an Account Planner This Valentine’s Day