It may seem overwhelming to catch up to the latest trends and hot topics of marketing. Now, more than ever, we look to be inspired by content that can not only shape our marketing strategies, but also appeal to potential consumers. That is why we have rounded up the top 5 marketing TED talks to watch before the end of 2020. We can all use some valuable insight and inspiration as the most tumultuous year comes to an end.
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock is no stranger to brands, which motivated his dive into the world of brand marketing to make a film about sponsorship. He starts off by discussing his film "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” and how it was strategically branded with the goal of the film being about absolute “transparency.” He started to realize that when he started having conversations with companies, “the idea of understanding your brand is a universal problem.” Despite companies not understanding the motives of the film, Spurlock knew the power of storytelling would clear up how his brand is defined. He discusses how defining a brand is risky and where you take chances, because in those risks will come opportunity.
Josh Luber is a "sneakerhead," also defined as a collector of limited sneakers. In his TED talk, Luber explains how “sneakerheads can track the value of their collection over time, compare it to others, and have access to the same analytics you might for your online brokerage account.” But what do sneakerheads have to do with marketing, you may ask? Luber argues that sneakerheads are the ones who drive the marketing and the hype and the PR, which ultimately enables brands like Nike to sell millions of $60 sneakers.
Marketing guru Seth Godin spells out why when it comes to getting our attention, bad or bizarre ideas are more successful than boring ones. Godin explains how the cycle of purchasing television ads was the “OG” model of spreading ideas. Marketers were used to making average products for average people, but the best ideas are often the most out-of-the-box ones.
(Note: This talk contains graphic language)
Fun fact: “The combined market capitalization of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google is now equivalent to the GDP of India.” Let that sink in. In a spectacular TED talk, Professor Scott Galloway shares insights and eye-opening stats about Big Tech’s dominance. In this talk, Galloway compares the tech massive platforms, like Facebook and Google, to different parts of our human body to exaggerate how consumed the human species is with technology. For example, he refers to the iPhone as our new cross, because it's sacred. “It shouldn't be the iPhone X, it should be called the iPhone Cross. We have our religion; it's Apple. Our Jesus Christ is Steve Jobs, and we've decided this is holier than our person, our house or our computer.” This talk highlights what happens when these brands infiltrate society’s entire lives.
In this TED talk, marketing expert Gaby Barrios, explains why gender-based marketing doesn't drive business nearly as much as you might think, and shows how companies can find better ways to reach customers and grow their brands. She refers to her experience watching the Women's World Cup and seeing TV commercials for makeup and household cleaning products. Gaby’s advice to marketers is to avoid using gender as a shortcut to reach your target consumer. She further argues that the shortcut actually distracts marketers from the fun things that could be driving growth for brands.
As marketers, we can use some valuable insight from some marketing pioneers. It is important to understand that the marketing landscape is constantly evolving, even as you’re reading this. As marketers, we need to stay on top of trends and innovations that will not only resonate with our consumers, but also boost our brands.
Enjoy watching!