When a brand gets props for not participating in one of the most significant tentpole events of the year, the marketing team deserves some credit.

We’re referring to Budweiser, of course, which donated its advertising dollars toward COVID-19 vaccine education instead of airing a Super Bowl commercial during the big game. The move is part of the brand’s recent commitment to showing up in more meaningful ways—and it’s one of the reasons why Bud is our Brand on Fire this month.

Speaking of budget reallocations, the pandemic has forced many marketers to shift funds to different areas, some of which they may have only dabbled in before. One of those is influencer marketing. According to a Chief Marketer survey fielded just before the pandemic hit, it was ranked as a top three ROI strategy among just nine percent of marketers. After COVID hit, that number jumped to 22 percent. We look at how three brands—Pernod Ricard, Turner Networks and Ally Financial—incorporate influencers into their marketing strategies while in-person engagements are limited.

Meanwhile, the privacy regulation landscape is heating up again. Virginia has joined California in passing a consumer privacy act that gives individuals more control over how their data is collected. Here’s what marketers need to know about the bill.

Finally, we explore a recent partnership renewal between esports company Team Liquid and gaming hardware brand Alienware. Streaming events on Twitch are happening more during the pandemic. But this one took virtual engagement to a whole new level.

Until next week,

Kaylee Hultgren
Group Content Manager
Chief Marketer

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