Brian Meert's Blog, page 2

Dollar Shave Club Embraces Klaviyo’s B2C CRM Platform

Dollar Shave Club Embraces Klaviyo’s B2C CRM Platform Navigating a Complex Market

In today’s intricate consumer landscape, Dollar Shave Club has partnered with Klaviyo to adopt their new B2C CRM platform. This strategic move is designed to enhance customer-centricity and personalization, essential components for success in 2025. Bill Hudak, Vice President of DTC Acquisition and Retention at Dollar Shave Club, emphasizes the necessity of this approach:

“You have to play the customer centricity and personalization game to win in 2025, and Klaviyo’s platform enables us to do it.”

A Unified Approach to Customer Engagement

Klaviyo’s B2C CRM platform is specifically designed for consumer brands, integrating marketing, analytics, and customer service functions. Powered by the Klaviyo Data Platform (KDP), it offers over 350 pre-built integrations, allowing brands to seamlessly connect customer, purchase, and behavioral data. This unified approach eliminates data silos and simplifies complex setups, enabling brands to deliver cohesive, personalized experiences.

Impressive Results and Growth

Since implementing Klaviyo’s B2C CRM, Dollar Shave Club has achieved notable outcomes, including a 33% reduction in cancellations and a 12% increase in average order value among account holders. These results underscore the platform’s effectiveness in enhancing customer engagement and driving revenue growth. Klaviyo’s own success is evident, with a 34% year-over-year growth in 2024, attributed to its innovative integration of data, AI, and analytics.

Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Customer Service

The B2C CRM platform also features a Customer Hub, aiming to unify marketing and customer service efforts. This integration ensures that brands can provide fast, seamless, and personalized experiences that modern consumers expect. By connecting these critical functions, companies can forge deeper customer relationships, enhance loyalty, and drive revenue growth. 

The Evolution of Market Research: From Focus Groups to AI

The Evolution of Market Research: From Focus Groups to AI

Market research has long been a cornerstone of effective marketing strategies. Traditionally, methods like focus groups provided valuable consumer insights, albeit with limitations. Today, technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), are revolutionizing how businesses understand and engage with their audiences.

The Traditional Approach: Focus Groups

In the early days of marketing, focus groups were a primary tool for gathering consumer feedback. Marketers would convene groups of individuals to discuss products, campaigns, or concepts. While these sessions offered direct insights, they were often:

Time-Consuming: Organizing and conducting focus groups could take weeks or even months.Costly: Recruiting participants and facilitating sessions required significant financial resources.Limited in Scope: Small sample sizes might not accurately represent broader consumer sentiments.The Need for Change: Modern Challenges

As markets accelerated and consumer behaviors evolved, the traditional focus group model revealed its constraints. Marketers like Sorin Patilinet, Senior Director at Mars, highlighted the urgency for quicker decision-making processes:

“In today’s world, you don’t have the time or the luxury to measure creative and to make decisions in three months; everyone screams that you need decisions today.”

This pressing need for speed and efficiency has paved the way for innovative solutions.

Embracing AI: The New Frontier

AI-driven tools are transforming market research by addressing the limitations of traditional methods. Notable advancements include:

Agile Creative Expertise (ACE): Developed by Mars, ACE analyzes audience emotional reactions and attention to advertisements, predicting their effectiveness in driving sales. This tool enables rapid and data-driven creative decisions.

Evidenza’s Synthetic Data: Pioneered by Peter Weinberg, Jon Lombardo, and Brian Watroba, Evidenza creates AI-generated customer personas. Marketers can interact with these digital personas in real-time, obtaining immediate feedback on various queries.

Real-World Applications: Success Stories

Companies are witnessing remarkable results by integrating AI into their market research:

EY’s Brand Survey: Chief Marketing Officer Toni Clayton-Hine conducted a comparative study between traditional methods and Evidenza’s AI approach. The AI-driven survey, completed in just a day or two, mirrored the results of the conventional six to eight-week process with a 95% correlation.

Ad Agencies’ Adoption: Firms like Pereira O’Dell, Supernatural, and Media.Monks are experimenting with AI-generated focus groups, enhancing their creative processes and client offerings.

The Future of Market Research: A New Era

The integration of AI into market research signifies a transformative shift. Businesses can now access deeper insights more rapidly and cost-effectively than ever before. As technology continues to evolve, the methods for understanding consumer behavior will undoubtedly become even more sophisticated, marking a new age for market research.

B2B Marketing: 5 Strategies to Boost Your Success

B2B Marketing: 5 Strategies to Boost Your Success

B2B marketing is undergoing a significant transformation. Traditional tactics that once drove results are no longer as effective, as modern buyers demand more personalized, data-driven, and strategic interactions. With evolving technologies, shifting customer expectations, and an increasingly competitive market, businesses must rethink their approach to stand out. Marketers who adapt to these changes can unlock new opportunities for engagement, lead generation, and sales conversions. To help you stay ahead, here are five essential strategies that can enhance your B2B marketing efforts and drive long-term success.

1. Prioritize Personalization

Modern B2B buyers expect tailored experiences. By leveraging data analytics, businesses can craft personalized content and solutions that resonate with individual client needs, fostering stronger relationships and increased engagement.

2. Embrace Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

ABM focuses on targeting specific high-value accounts with customized campaigns. This strategic approach aligns marketing and sales efforts, leading to more efficient resource utilization and higher conversion rates.

3. Leverage Content Marketing

Informative and relevant content positions your brand as an industry thought leader. Producing blogs, whitepapers, and case studies that address client pain points can attract and retain a qualified audience.

4. Invest in Marketing Automation

Automation tools streamline repetitive tasks, such as email campaigns and social media posting. This efficiency allows your team to focus on strategic planning and creative initiatives, ultimately enhancing productivity.

5. Utilize Data-Driven Decision Making

Analyzing metrics and performance data provides insights into what strategies are effective. Data-driven decisions enable continuous optimization of marketing efforts, ensuring resources are allocated to the most impactful activities.

By integrating these strategies, B2B marketers can navigate the evolving landscape and achieve sustained success.

Demystifying Open-Source Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)

Demystifying Open-Source Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)

Marketing is always changing, what worked a year ago is more than likely not going to work too well today. Technologies are constantly changing, strategies are always shifting. However, understanding the effectiveness of various channels is paramount. Enter Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), a time-tested approach now experiencing a renaissance through open-source initiatives. Let’s delve into what open-source MMM entails and its significance in today’s marketing world.

What is Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)?

MMM is a statistical analysis technique that evaluates the impact of different marketing inputs on sales performance. Originating in the mid-20th century, it assists marketers in determining how various factors—such as advertising, promotions, and pricing—contribute to sales, enabling data-driven budget allocation across channels like TV, radio, print, and digital platforms.

The Rise of Open-Source MMM

Traditionally, MMM solutions were proprietary, often resembling “black boxes” with limited transparency. However, the shift towards open-source models is changing the game. In January 2025, Google introduced Meridian, an open-source MMM designed to enhance performance measurement across media channels. This initiative offers marketers access to a data platform encompassing metrics like impressions, clicks, costs, and search query volumes.

Advantages of Open-Source MMM Transparency: Open-source models allow marketers to inspect and understand the underlying algorithms, fostering trust and enabling customization.Privacy Compliance: With increasing data privacy concerns, open-source MMMs provide a framework that can be tailored to comply with evolving regulations.Community Collaboration: Open-source projects benefit from collective expertise, leading to continuous improvements and innovation.Considerations and Cautions

While open-source MMMs offer numerous benefits, marketers should approach them with a discerning eye. It’s essential to ensure that these tools align with organizational goals and that reliance on platforms from major tech companies doesn’t inadvertently lead to over-dependence. Vigilance is key to maintaining autonomy and ensuring that open-source solutions serve the brand’s best interests.

Embracing the Future of MMM

As the marketing landscape becomes increasingly complex, tools like open-source MMMs empower brands to make informed decisions. By leveraging transparent, collaborative, and customizable models, marketers can navigate the multifaceted world of media channels with greater confidence and precision.

Why Modern Marketing Feels So Frustrating

Why Modern Marketing Feels So Frustrating

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, one would expect marketing communications to be clear and straightforward. Yet, many organizations continue to baffle consumers with convoluted messages and jargon-laden content. Why is simplicity so elusive in modern marketing?

The Clarity Conundrum

Despite advancements in technology and data analytics, companies often struggle to convey their messages transparently. This lack of clarity can lead to consumer frustration, mistrust, and ultimately, disengagement. It’s essential for brands to prioritize straightforward communication to build and maintain customer relationships.

The Jargon Trap

Marketing materials are frequently filled with industry-specific terminology that may alienate the average consumer. While such language might resonate within professional circles, it can create barriers for the general public. Simplifying language and focusing on the core message can enhance understanding and foster a stronger connection with the audience. Essentially, using layman’s terms in the context of marketing makes things a lot easier for people to understand. 

The Overload Dilemma

In an attempt to convey value, companies sometimes inundate consumers with excessive information. This information overload can be overwhelming, causing the intended message to get lost. Prioritizing key points and presenting them succinctly can help in capturing and retaining consumer attention.

The Path Forward

To address these challenges, organizations should:

Embrace Simplicity: Craft messages that are easy to understand, avoiding unnecessary complexity.Know the Audience: Tailor communications to the knowledge level and interests of the target demographic.Test and Refine: Continuously assess the effectiveness of messaging and make adjustments based on feedback and performance metrics.

By focusing on clear and concise communication, brands can enhance consumer trust and engagement in an increasingly cluttered marketplace.

Boost Your Business: Optimize Your Landing Page

Boost Your Business: Optimize Your Landing Page

Your website’s landing page is often the first interaction potential customers have with your brand. Making a strong initial impression is crucial for converting visitors into leads. Here are some expert tips to enhance your landing page’s effectiveness:

Tell a Compelling Story

Engage your audience by weaving a narrative that highlights how your product or service addresses their needs. Stories make complex ideas relatable and memorable, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Eliminate Unnecessary Content

Keep your landing page concise and focused. Avoid fluff and directly address your customer’s problem, explaining how your offering provides a solution. Consider using video testimonials to build trust and credibility.

Leverage Data Insights

Adopt a data-driven approach by conducting A/B testing and utilizing tools like heatmaps to understand user behavior. Continuous testing and analysis allow you to make informed adjustments, ensuring your landing page remains engaging and optimized for conversions.

Include an FAQ Section

Address common questions and concerns through a well-structured FAQ section. This helps overcome potential objections and reduces bounce rates by providing visitors with the information they need to make informed decisions.

Use Clear and Concise Messaging

Communicate your unique value proposition clearly and succinctly. Ensure that visitors immediately understand what your product or service offers and why it’s the ideal solution for them. Clarity is key to driving conversions.

Highlight Your Call-to-Action (CTA)

Design your CTA to be prominently visible using contrasting colors, large fonts, or dynamic buttons. A well-placed and noticeable CTA guides visitors toward taking the desired action, enhancing conversion rates.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a landing page that not only captures attention but also effectively converts visitors into valuable leads

The Uncomfortable Truth About Advertising Effectiveness

The Uncomfortable Truth About Advertising Effectiveness

A few years ago, one of my clients; a major brand, spent millions on an ad campaign they were sure would be a hit. The numbers looked great—high engagement, lots of clicks—but sales barely budged. Confused, they realized they had no real proof that the ads were driving revenue. Sound familiar? Marketing success depends on knowing what truly works, but many advertisers avoid real experimentation. Why? Let’s dive into it!

Why True Experimentation Matters

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for measuring advertising impact.  They provide clear, unbiased insights into what actually drives results—helping brands make data-driven decisions instead of relying on guesswork.

Why Marketers Avoid It

Even though RCTs are powerful, marketers often steer clear of them. Here’s why:
Cost concerns – Testing takes time and money.
Fear of failure – What if the results show the ad isn’t working?
Complexity – Setting up proper experiments isn’t always easy.

The Risk of Ignoring Proper Testing

By skipping true experimentation, marketers rely on flawed measurement techniques that can lead to:
Misguided ad strategies
Wasted budgets
Overestimating campaign success

The Takeaway

If you want real advertising effectiveness, don’t be afraid of rigorous testing! Embracing true experimentation can unlock better results, smarter spending, and stronger strategies. Are you ready to test your ads the right way? Shoot us an email and tell us about an upcoming campaign you have. Let’s work together.

Becoming Fluent with Trends: Duolingo’s Brilliant Social Media Marketing

Becoming Fluent with Trends: Duolingo’s Brilliant Social Media Marketing

Duolingo has adeptly navigated the dynamic landscape of social media marketing, leveraging cultural trends and technological shifts to enhance its brand presence. A notable instance is its response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against TikTok, which led to a surge in users turning to RedNote, a Mandarin-language social app. Recognizing this shift, Duolingo humorously tweeted, “Oh so NOW you’re learning Mandarin,” effectively engaging its audience and promoting its language courses.

Strategies for Marketing Success Monitor Microtrends
Stay attuned to emerging cultural and technological trends. By observing shifts in consumer behavior, businesses can adapt their messaging and offerings to align with current interests. Duolingo’s quick response to the increased interest in Mandarin learning exemplifies this approach.Authentic Social Media Engagement
Connect with audiences through genuine and relevant interactions. Utilize platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Reddit to participate in conversations that resonate with your brand’s voice. Duolingo excels in using humor and timely content to build emotional connections with its users.Leverage Core Strengths
Identify and capitalize on your unique capabilities. Duolingo’s foundation in tech innovation, led by co-founder Luis von Ahn, has been pivotal in its success. Small businesses should reflect on their distinct strengths and integrate them into their strategies to stand out in the market.Embrace Agility
Maintain flexibility to respond swiftly to viral trends and changing customer behaviors. Duolingo’s ability to pivot and engage with new platforms like RedNote demonstrates the importance of agility in today’s business environment.Utilize Mascots for Brand Connection
Don’t underestimate the power of a memorable mascot. Duolingo’s lime-green owl has become a social media sensation, creating a personal and relatable brand image. Mascots can foster emotional connections and enhance brand recall.Key Takeaways for Marketers Stay Informed: Regularly monitor cultural and technological developments to keep your marketing strategies relevant.Engage Authentically: Build genuine relationships with your audience through meaningful interactions.Highlight Unique Strengths: Differentiate your brand by showcasing what makes it special.Be Agile: Adapt quickly to new trends and shifts in consumer behavior to maintain a competitive edge.Create Relatable Brand Elements: Develop mascots or symbols that resonate with your audience to strengthen brand identity.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts and foster deeper connections with their target audiences.

The Chilling Truth About Cold Calling and AI Automation.

The Chilling Truth About Cold Calling and AI Automation.

I was 19 years old when I got my very first job in marketing. I was so bright-eyed and ready to learn what I could in the art of lead generation; I couldn’t have been more excited to join a reputable company and become successful. You could visibly see the dismay in my face when my manager told me to hop on the phones, cold-call leads and follow a script. Phones? Script? Cold-call? I was very confused, deflated and taken aback. This was back in 2010.  In today’s fast-paced marketing industry, traditional prospecting methods like cold calling are becoming less effective. Businesses and marketers are now turning to innovative solutions to connect with potential clients more efficiently. One such solution is Aidentified, an AI-powered platform that streamlines the prospecting process.

The Limitations of Traditional Prospecting

Traditional prospecting often involves hours of scouring social media and compiling lists of cold contacts, leading to inconsistent results and wasted resources. This approach can be time-consuming and may not yield the desired outcomes. It is also very tiresome being a chipper actor of sorts with every call resulting in rejection. 

AI-Powered Prospecting

Platforms like Aidentified allows advisors to build precise, targeted prospect lists in minutes, focusing on strategic connections over cold leads. Through AI-driven relationship mapping, it helps prospect marketing professionals identify warm paths to their ideal clients, empowering them to bypass cold outreach in favor of quality connections that lead to meaningful conversations.

Key Benefits of AI prospecting Effortless Prospecting: Build comprehensive prospect lists in minutes, with the data depth needed for quality connections.Connect with Confidence: Skip the cold calls and leverage AI-driven insights to connect with prospects who already share a warm connection with you or your network.Refocus on Revenue: Streamline administrative tasks to prioritize the activities that drive revenue and business growth.

By embracing AI-driven tools, businesses and marketers can enhance their prospecting efforts, save themselves the heartache of rejection, leading to more meaningful conversations and impactful connections.

How Doritos Is Crunching the Competition with a Creator-Led Marketing Strategy

How Doritos Is Crunching the Competition with a Creator-Led Marketing Strategy

Doritos has reignited its iconic “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign to commemorate 25 years of advertising during the Big Game. This time, the brand aims to deepen its engagement with the creator economy.

A Surge in Creator Collaborations

The recent contest attracted approximately 2,200 submissions, providing Doritos with a vast pool of creative talent. James Wade, Doritos’ senior director of marketing, emphasized the brand’s commitment to building long-term relationships with a diverse range of creators, including micro-influencers, macro-influencers, ambassadors, and local influencers on college campuses.

Beyond the Super Bowl: Year-Round Creator Content

While the Super Bowl spotlights select ads, Doritos plans to feature additional creator content throughout the year. Submissions encompassing various themes, such as Halloween or other brand attributes, may be utilized for future promotional moments. This strategy transforms the contest into an ongoing creator content engine, turning a single event into sustained momentum.

Creators at the Core of Doritos’ Brand Voice

Looking ahead, Doritos intends for all major brand initiatives, from new flavor launches to partnerships, to be “creator-led.” Wade asserts that this approach aligns with Doritos’ brand identity, positioning the company at the forefront of creator-driven messaging.

The Evolving Role of Creators in Marketing

This strategy reflects a broader industry trend where creators are becoming central to brand strategies. Grace Murray Vazquez, VP of strategy at influencer marketing company Fohr, notes that creators have evolved into the new creatives, a role once dominated by agencies. Brands are now building direct pathways to collaborate with influencers, recognizing their ability to entertain audiences and drive engagement across platforms.

In short, Doritos’ renewed focus on a creator-led marketing strategy underscores the brand’s dedication to authentic, engaging content that resonates with consumers year-round.