Increasingly, younger consumers will research a brand ahead of making a purchase in order to determine how—and if—it positively contributes to society. Because for this group, where the money’s spent matters.

Indeed, businesses’ ethical choices, associations and company practices are being scrutinized to a greater degree these days. And one way to alleviate that pressure—while also doing some good in the world—is through cause marketing programs. We take a look at five brands that are walking the walk by partnering with organizations that are making a difference through wellness- and inclusivity-focused initiatives.

Serving as CMO of IBM’s Weather Channel technology, website and app is a weighty job in and of itself. But as CMO of Watson Advertising and Weather; Developer Marketing at IBM, Randi Stipes also oversees marketing for its B2B AI ad solutions division and its global developer incubator. In our latest Marketers on Fire feature, we look at how Stipes and her team tackled a trio of crises in 2020 through leveraging data and technology to build solutions that have propelled the company’s growth while providing resources for brands and society at large.

Instagram reports that 90 percent of its users follow a business, and two-thirds of people surveyed said that the platform enables interaction with brands. The implication: Even SMBs need to be there. For marketers looking for ideas, we review five types of Instagram posts businesses can use to boost engagement.

Lastly, check out how Taco Bell re-energized its brand (and sales) through creating a new development strategy dedicated to evaluating and enhancing its cultural relevance among consumers.

That’s all for now, folks. Until next week.

Kaylee Hultgren
Group Content Manager
Chief Marketer

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