CONTACT

Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Stagwell
hello@stagwellglobal.com

Insights for the C-Suite

Enjoyed these insights? View more commentary from our global marketing, technology, and creative experts in Stagwell’s “C[x]O” series for the C-Suite. Click here to explore more.

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

The Sky’s the Limit But Use Cases are the Target

At Google Next – and at several marketing and technology conference this year, including CES and SXSW – the clear challenge to attendees was the two-step from theoretical implementations of AI to hard use-cases that provide value to consumers (and reasons for investment). It’s no wonder companies in attendance debuted over 101 real-world use cases for generative AI, spanning applications to consumer experiences, back-end-operations, insights, and more.  

Some common themes emerged as to where AI is providing the most immediate value:  

• AI to accelerate the curation of essential business insights: AI21 Labs showcased how they use a BigQuery integration called Contextual Answers to allow users to query data across their businesses conversationally.  
• AI to put the power of storytelling in everyone’s fingertips. Google unveiled Google Vids, a new AI-powered video creation app in its Workspace suite that can do everything from generate a storyboard, piece together first drafts of videos from stock multimedia, and do voiceovers.  
• AI to bring real-time tracking to the customer experience: UPS is constructing a digital twin of its entire distribution network that will enable customers to see where their packages are at any time.

AI Will Mean a Rewriting of Every Customer Interface – Here’s Where to Begin

Artificial intelligence represents a quantum leap for creativity and productivity.  As a network on the beat of marketing, we know that AI’s rise will mean a rewriting of almost all customer interfaces as companies race to deliver consumers the personalized experiences they’ve desired since the dawn of the internet. At Google Next, Stagwell CTO Merrill Raman and Stagwell Marketing Cloud CTO Mansoor Basha emphasized that the first step brands should take to reap the benefits of AI should be assessing their organization’s data infrastructure to ensure it is primed for AI.  

Tactically, that may mean deep clean-up of existing first party data sources using data science best practices to get the information organized in a manner that AI can extract useful insights from. Or it may mean partnering with a third-party data provider who can supplement your view of existing and prospective consumers. 

AI Can Be the Bedrock for Trust, When Implemented Appropriately

As Left Field Labs CEO Sarah Mehler shared at Google Next: with growth in AI utilization, a critical question to consider is how do we build trust with audiences when considering AI implementation? Striking the right tone in AI-enabled communications is a primary step. And remember that communication that reflects cultural and demographic nuances is what ultimately resonates with audiences and builds trust in new systems. Well-practiced organizations will apply sentiment analysis to better understand the emotions of a user and provide appropriate responses (thus driving traction and building more successful outcomes).  

Attention to detail is also crucial for building trust in AI implementations. A “Chain of Verification” is one of several methods that can be employed to enhance the accuracy of information provided by AI systems. This process involves multiple steps to validate information before it is conveyed to the user. For instance, after our language model generates a response, we can employ a separate validation model to scrutinize the facts within that response. This secondary check helps to identify and correct any inaccuracies or ‘hallucinations’—instances where the model generates false or misleading information. By systematically verifying data through multiple layers, we can provide more reliable and trustworthy outputs. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

Originally Released On

PR Newswire

CONTACT:

IR Contact:
Ben Allanson
ir@stagwellglobal.com 

PR Contact:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com 

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

Media Contact

For U.S.
Sarah Arvizo 
pr@stagwellglobal.com

For Brazil: 
Laize Lima 
lmlima@cpbgroup.com

Learn more about Elspeth and who guides her in business, and her high school superlative.

Question: What or who guides you in business?

Answer: Running while listening to the Pivot podcast with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway

Question: High School Superlative:

Answer: Most likely to never be forgotten

Follow along on Stagwell’s website and LinkedIn as we highlight more leaders invaluable business insights and fun facts about themselves!

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

HOW TO FAIL A JOB INTERVIEW

When interviewing, hiring managers recommend showing up on time and being nice if you want to land the job, according to our Harris Poll survey with Express Employment Professionals.

• 68% of hiring managers say being rude is the reason an applicant is disqualified from contention.
• 55% indicate showing up late is a dealbreaker.
• 53% say dressing inappropriately ends consideration.
• Hiring managers’ other pet peeves: being uninformed about the organization and/or the position (47%); using unprofessional body language (44%); and not asking questions (27%).
• Other don’ts: talking negatively about a previous position or manager (45% of hiring managers say this will disqualify you) and answering phone calls or exchanging text messages during an interview (41%).
• A third of candidates admit they’ve made these fatal mistakes: checked their watches (33%), swore (32%) or were caught in a lie (28%).

GET READY FOR THE POLITICAL AD ONSLAUGHT

2024 will be the most expensive U.S. election cycle ever – with an estimated $12 billion spent across media channels, according to Stagwell’s Assembly agency.

• 65% of political spending this season is expected on traditional TV, followed by streaming TV (13%), social media (12%) and radio (10%).
• While spending overall will be a record, ads will be centered on a few key markets: Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Reno and Pittsburgh are the top five using Assembly’s Market Intensity Index, which evaluates expected political spending. 
• The discussion on AI-created political ads is making headlines, yet the continued shift to streaming and digital is the big political advertising story of 2024.
• DIGGING DEEPER: Stagwell’s Risk and Reputation Unit leaders will discuss the latest issues from the campaign trail and the political advertising environment during a free 30-minute webinar at noon ET Thursday, April 18. Email Alexis Williams for an invitation.

AMERICANS ARE EXHAUSTED BY NEGATIVITY

Americans are finding it harder to have fun, are hanging out less and are fatigued by divisive polling data and a news cycle that spurs division, according to the new National Temperature Check conducted by The Harris Poll for Johnsonville.

• 80% of adult Americans say they are exhausted by the anger and negativity in America today.
• 89% would like to see less negativity in the news and social media.
• 60% say having fun with people has become harder.
• 67% are hanging out with people less than they did five years ago.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:

• Tackling Misinformation: A Conversation With PRSA Chair-Elect Ray Day, APR
• Podcast: Mark Penn discusses how businesses navigate the polarizing political environment
• Consumers struggle to distinguish videos recorded by humans from those generated by OpenAI’s Sora
• Overwhelmed Job Recruiters Getting Sloppy, per Survey
• Companies Recognize the Power of Comprehensive Benefits in Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
• 3 virtual reality trends brands should know

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

Learn more about Sarah and who guides her in business, and what she’d be up to in another life.

Question: What is core to the future of women in business?

Answer: When it comes to women in business, what’s the secret? Supporting each other, plain and simple. Whether it’s making connections, being cheerleaders, or just lending a helping hand, our time and effort in backing women up pays off big time for everyone. So, let’s keep lifting each other higher, because when one of us shines, we all do.

Question: Superlative

Answer: Most likely to Create for Good!

Follow along on Stagwell’s website and LinkedIn as we highlight more leaders invaluable business insights and fun facts about themselves!

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

MAGIC NUMBER NEEDED TO RETIRE SKYROCKETS

Americans’ “magic number” needed to retire is at an all-time high – rising faster than inflation and up more than 50% since the pandemic, according to Northwestern Mutual’s 2024 Planning & Progress Study with The Harris Poll.

• U.S. adults believe they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a 15% increase from the $1.27 million reported last year.
• The magic number has jumped 53% from $951,000 Americans targeted in 2020.
• At the same time, the average amount U.S. adults have saved for retirement dropped from $89,300 last year to $88,400 today – and far below the $98,800 in savings in 2021.
• 31 is the average age Americans start saving for retirement.
• Most people expect to work to 65. That varies by generation, however: Gen Z expects to retire at age 60, Boomers at 72, Millennials at 64 and Gen X at 67.
• 32% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z expect to live to 100 – higher than the 22% of Gen X and 21% of Boomers who expect to become a centenarian.
• Among those closest to retirement, only half believe they will be financially prepared for retirement when the time comes (48% of Boomers and 48% of Gen X).
• 43% of Americans believe they could outlive their savings – highest among Gen Z (46%) and Millennials (46%).

PROPOSED TIKTOK BAN DOESN’T CHANGE GEN Z’S MIND

Despite a bill that could ban TikTok in the U.S., support remains strong among Gen Z, the app’s core constituency, according to our Harris Poll survey with Ad Age.

• 64% of Gen Z are on TikTok daily, compared with 33% of Millennials, 24% of Gen X and 5% of Boomers.
• 75% of Gen Z believe losing access to TikTok would negatively affect brands (compared with 51% of the general population).
• 76% of Gen Z believe TikTok advertisements are a good way for brands to reach consumers – and 40% have shopped on TikTok.
• While 59% of all users believe TikTok promotes content that spreads misinformation, 59% of Gen Z trusts TikTok more than other social media (compared with 29% of the general population).
• 66% of Gen Z use YouTube daily (compared with 45% of the general population). That is slightly higher than the 64% of Gen Z who use TikTok daily (versus 26% of the general population).

VIRTUAL REALITY INTEREST CLIMBS

Virtual reality technology is steadily becoming less virtual and more accurate, according to our Harris Poll research in Ad Age.

• 18% use VR technology, and 33% have not tried it yet but are interested.
• 27% have not used it and are not interested in trying it.
• 65% of those who have used or would like to use VR headsets are motivated by gaming.
• 51% have used or want to use it to watch immersive content.
• 47% use VR to simulate travel or other real-world experiences.
• VR usage decreases with age: 38% of Gen Zers use the tech compared with 28% of Millennials, 15% of Gen X and 4% of Boomers.
• At the same time, older generations are most interested: 38% of Boomers and X are interested in trying VR, compared with 33% of Millennials and 16% of Gen Z.

CONSUMERS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT OF ‘WHOLE HEALTH’

The wellness market in the U.S. is worth $480 billion and is expected to grow 5% to 10% annually. The future is about “whole health,” however, with consumers taking matters into their own hands more than ever before, according to Stagwell’s Assembly’s new Whole Health Navigation Guidebook.

• A 300% increase is seen in people looking to utilize GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
• 71% of Americans express interest in taking a microbiome test to get personalized diet recommendations.
• 71% of Gen Z and Millennials are turning to social media to self-diagnose conditions – particularly related to mental health – instead of going to a healthcare professional.
• 77% of Gen Z athletes that say they feel more connected to others when seeing their friend’s or family’s activities on Strava.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:

• Gen Z and Millennials say streaming costs them too much
• Should Distracted Driving Laws Apply to Your Dog?
• Gen-Z, Millennial Workers Say On-Demand Pay Would Help Them Pay Bills On Time
• It’s Time To Fuse AI And Blockchain: 5 Ways To Do It

For realtime insights, follow us on LinkedIn

Stagwell is a contender for Network of the Year at The 2024 Webby Awards with 23 nominations

With nominations across categories including Marketing, Innovation, Health & Wellness, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more, Stagwell and its agencies are on course to take home big wins at the 28th Annual Webby Awards, the leading international award recognizing excellence on the internet. Twelve Stagwell agencies are up for consideration in the People’s Voice vote: 72andSunny, Code and Theory, Doner, Instrument, GALE, PRophet, Rhythm, Left Field Labs, Movers+Shakers, Anomaly, Allison, HUNTER and Mediacurrent. Every vote counts—click through the nominations listed below to cast your vote.

Voting takes less than ten seconds:

1. Click through the links to each nomination
2. Create an account
3. Click VOTE

Voting closes on April 18.

72andSunny

Advertising, Media & PR

Wisp: Anti-Choice Ads — Online Guerilla & Innovation

Wisp: Anti-Choice Ads — Video Ad Shortform

United: Believing Everything Changes — Best Media Strategy

Social

Wisp: Made By Choice — Public Service, Social Impact & Activism

NFL: The Table Read — Sports

Anomaly

Video

Johnnie Walker Red Carpet Strides — Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Code and Theory

Advertising, Media & PR

YETI: Map The Gaps — Products & Services

YETI: Map The Gaps — Best Use of Online Media

Amazon: Ads That Work As Hard As You Do — B2B Campaign

Apps & Software

Scout by Sutter Health: A Powerful Tool For Building Resilience in Today’s Youth — Health, Wellness & Fitness

Doner

Advertising, Media & PR

The NIL Student Nurse Initiative — Health, Wellness & Pharmaceutical

The NIL Student Nurse Initiative — Best Partnership or Collaboration

Social

Hungry Howie’s: The Missing Slice — Public Service & Activism

GALE

Advertising, Media & PR

Chipotle: Doppelganger — Best Use of Data Driven Media

Video

MilkPEP: Wood Milk — Comedy

HUNTER

Advertising, Media & PR

Lactaid: Kelis Partners With Lactaid to Get You to Drink Real Dairy — Best Influencer Endorsements

Instrument

Websites and Mobile Sites

Catona Climate — Corporate Social Responsibility

Figma: Shortcut by Figma — Business Blog/Website

Microsoft: The hidden power of feelings — Health & Wellness

Microsoft: The future of work is neurodiverse — Responsible Innovation

Left Field Labs

Mediacurrent

Movers+Shakers

PRophet

Apps and Software

PRophet Influence: Koalifyed — Marketing & Content Management

Rhythm

Allison

Learn more about Lisa and who guides her in business, and what she’d be up to in another life.

Q: What or who guides you in business?

A: Coltrane and I were both raised by fathers who owned their own businesses. My father showed me that it’s possible to run a successful business while also raising and being fully present for a family. Coltrane and I have two children (Ellington age 12 and Count age 5), and family is at the heart of everything we do. We hope to pass that entrepreneurial spirit and the belief that you can create your own spaces and opportunities. I’m grateful to my father for a lot of things, but especially for showing me that this is possible.

Q: In another life, I’d be:

A: Renovating and flipping houses while hosting my own show on HGTV! 

Follow along on Stagwell’s website and LinkedIn as we highlight more leaders invaluable business insights and fun facts about themselves!