Friday Newsletter: Embracing: Authenticity. Teamwork. Collaboration. Connection.

Summer anthems are the best. Upbeat, nostalgic, emotional. And they evoke personal feelings of connection … songs that make you want to roll down the window and let ‘er rip.? So when you sprinkle in the creativity of an artist hell bent on exploring new partnerships with one of the hottest musicians on tour, you get one hell of a collaboration.

Enter Post Malone and Morgan Wallen, belting out the clever lyric in their smash hit “I Had Some Help” …

"Teamwork makes the Dreamwork"

Indeed.

But the whimsical take on accountability in relationships also works on a literal, if not intuitive level because yes, in many instances, teamwork does make the dream work. And it also works because it’s just plain fun to sing along, and you can apply that phrase to whatever it means in your life today.? Maybe you’re taking account of your actions, maybe you’re working with a team to create a fascinating new marketing campaign, or maybe you’re just singing (screaming?) your favorite part of a song into the back end of a broom handle.

Be it work, be it family, be it life.? Songs like this connect, and they connect because they are relatable.? When you say the words out loud, it means something to you.? It evokes a time. A place.? And it works because it can be internalized and personalized and shared… and that’s where the connection is.? ?

Relatability Through Authenticity

First, Post Malone and Morgan Wallen connect with each other, an internal communication between a team, if you will.? They reach into their own lives and in doing so, find common ground with their audience through vulnerability, through emotion, and ultimately, they bond with their audience through truth.? In the marketing world, that’s messaging on a visceral level, achieving deeper connections through authenticity. An approach resonates and builds lasting relationships. A connection. As B2(A) Business to Anyone marketers, that’s our goal.? To connect. ?Hopefully, in a big way.

The Power of Teamwork

Roll up your sleeves and get to work.?Teamwork, that is. Whether you're dealing with challenges individually or as a team, a collaborative effort might just ignite innovative fire.? Combine internal communication (like innovative colleagues Post and Morgan) and share that focused message with customers (a story for the sing-a-long audience), and you might just strike more than a chord, you might find marketing magic, something viral.

Strategic Collaborations

Consider how collaborations can open up new opportunities. Microsoft’s alliance with NVIDIA, ?is advancing innovation in healthcare and life sciences through advanced cloud, AI, and accelerated computing capabilities. This kind of partnership leverages the strengths of both companies and drive significant advancements in the industry.? Magic.

Similarly, Palo Alto Networks and 埃森哲 everaged their relative strengths in a cooperative that ensures secure, safe and effective solutions for companies transitioning to next-generation AI technologies.

Kohl's recent partnerships with Sephora, Babies R Us, and Limited Too are an innovate attempt to leverage competitive advantages as well.? Kohl’s has an enviable brick-n-mortar footprint, Sephora brings in considerable traffic, Babies R Us reaches a complementary new-parent demographic and LimitedToo nostalgically resonates for Millenial Mom’s that grew up on the bling-infused apparel of the tween-focused Justice stores and now have dollars to spend on their kids.? Combining forces creates new and exciting shopping experiences.? New opportunities.

I applaud Kohl’s for taking the shot.?And I hope it works.?Collaborations bring fresh energy and opportunities. And it builds their OmniChannel ecosystem.?(Side note: Shoutout to my daughter?Cali Thorson?and the team at Kohl's -- hard work and dedication is teamwork, and that can make the dreamwork :-)

Embracing AI in Our Lives

AI is a powerful tool for enhancing personalization and improving experiences, be it generative or predictive. By combining technology with human insight, B2(A) Marketers can “Get off their Mass” marketing mentality and create more tailored interactions that resonate deeply.?And AI will do that everywhere in business, helping augment go-forward market strategies based on consumer behavior, feedback and actionable data.

Airtable AI?is an interesting platform I came across recently, an immersive software solution which integrates seamlessly with workflows to automate tasks and provide valuable insights. By leveraging tools like Airtable, marketing is at the forefront, scratching the surface of what AI can do, targeting specific audiences with sticky, memorable messages and solutions to their pain points and ultimately, reaching anyone in the internet universe.

Connection with consumers through personalization is not just one-to-one.? And it’s not just about AI.? It’s about using your experienced marketing insights and consumer insights to develop a relatable brand.? It’s about leveraging technology and data and AI, and combining that with experienced, intelligent human insight and intuition and oversight.?Do that, and you can target specific audiences with sticky, memorable messages and solutions that alleviate their pain points, reaching anyone in the internet universe.

Learning from the Olympics

The energy emanating off the anticipation of the Paris Olympic games is palpable. At least in our home it is!? Olympic athletes eat, sleep and breathe hard work and determination.? Olympic athletes embody stories of teamwork, of collaborative strategies to achieve common goals.?Olympic athletes reach consumers with relatable, personal stories … just like Morgan and Post singing about teamwork. Each is a marketer’s dream.?And collaborative team efforts are all about leveraging individual strengths to enhance the collective end product, like Kohl’s partnerships.

I see a lot of Steven Spielberg commercials promoting the Olympics as storytelling because that’s where the “Magic” is—in stories. (And in Al Michael’s AI enabled 10 minute highlights packages; the ultimate in personalized content based on subscriber preferences, but that’s another story.) Spielberg's kid-like excitement about the opening ceremonies on the Seine River, accompanied by the soaring orchestral music of the incomparable John Williams … that resonates deeply with me.? It resonates to anyone who has been to Paris, and it resonates for anyone who aspires to go there.?Through the Olympics, we can all go there.? The wait it almost over, Spielberg suggests.?Let the magic begin.

On that note, have a great weekend!

If interested, I am happy to share the spotify list of collaborations ?? Post Malone?has done; everything from Beyonce, to Taylor Swift, to Morgan Wallen.?

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