Applebee's, audio branding and a heartbreaking rabbit

Vimeo's Outside the Frame newsletter is a regular dose of ideas, insights, and inspiration to help marketers think differently. Let’s go!

1. Effective like Applebee’s

It shouldn’t be a revolutionary idea, but in the sea of creative awards, the Effies stands out for its laser-focus on how well marketing actually works. By celebrating campaigns for their effectiveness, it often throws up very different winners.?

Case in point – this year’s Grand Effie in the US went to Applebee’s Fancy Like campaign, which is credited with the restaurant chain’s sales outpacing competitors by 9.3%. Altogether now…

?2. A guide to narrative strategy

“Most marketing is bad. Or if not bad, mediocre and unoffensive…” Vicky Gu is NOT here to play. She is here to explain why narrative strategy is the key to unlocking better marketing messages.

In this excellent piece she breaks down what narrative strategy is, and what good narrative strategy looks like.

"The most effective narratives paint a portrait of who your customer or reader or viewer could be, covering their insecurities with grace, redeeming their failures with hope… It's storytelling the way journalism does it: not to overtly sell, but to pitch in ways so truthful and compelling that you can't help but want more."

Vicky Gu

3. Wake up and smell the coffee

Vimeo’s Inside the Campaign event takes a deep dive into how great marketing gets made. Our next guest will be Kathryn O'Connor, SVP of Brand, Marketing, and eCommerce at La Colombe who will talk us through the much-loved coffee company’s first national campaign.

Come along and join us!

4. What does your brand sound like?

Looking for some new music? How about this new album from Mastercard featuring new tracks incorporating its brand sound? (It’s called Priceless, because of course it is). No? Really?

Well, either way, sonic branding is becoming increasingly popular. Brands like HBO, McDonald’s and Intel have long owned an audio identity, but it seems to be spreading. Writing in Brandingmag , David Courtier-Dutton dubbed 2022, “the year of the Sonic Boom…in which branding experts and marketers finally get to grips with the power of sound and start to capitalize on its subconscious ability to engage with consumers.”?

As with so many modern marketing trends, the main reason for this seems to be TikTok, one of the few social platforms where sound is integral to the experience. This recent blog from Wix is a great primer on sonic branding, featuring tips and well-known examples of the craft.

5. Metaverse insight of the week

Words by James Whatley ,?picture by Matt Vernon-Clinch (it's worth reading the comments on his post too).

6. A perfect example of...

Star-powered video for good. We were delighted to see Save Ralph get some well-deserved recognition among the Cannes winners. Featuring Taika Watiti, Zac Efron, Ricky Gervais and Olivia Munn, its hard hitting anti animal testing message packs an emotional punch that will stay with you long after you’ve watched it.

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