TLDR MARKETING 2025-11-07

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WHEN ALGORITHMS CURATE CULTURE, WHAT DO WE LOSE?

As AI curates what we watch, listen to, and read, pop culture will become predictable. Algorithms favor familiarity, ignoring the context and creative accidents that drive breakthroughs. Iconic moments in music, film, and fashion come from risk and experimentation, which AI cannot replicate. Human curation preserves history, connecting art and innovation across generations. AI cannot replace the insight and storytelling that keep culture rich and transformative.

HOW BRANDS CAN BE OLD AND NEW SIMULTANEOUSLY

KFC successfully uses The Colonel to connect traditional values with modern relevance, while Cracker Barrel misstepped by removing its Old Timer mascot. Research from KFC revealed that customers viewed its longevity and consistency as proof of credibility and quality. The Colonel's image communicates brand identity instantly, similar to symbols like the Nike Swoosh or Golden Arches. Brands do not need to abandon history to stay current, they need to show how established values fit into today's lifestyles.

THE SURVEY EMAIL PLAYBOOK: HOW TO ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK

Survey emails are powerful for understanding customers, but they must be simple and valuable to get responses. Effective tactics include stating how long the survey takes, explaining why feedback matters, embedding questions in the email, and offering small incentives. Personalization, such as using a real sender or asking targeted questions in welcome and post-purchase emails, increases completion. Interactive formats like ratings or checkboxes reduce friction. Collected data should feed directly into audience segmentation and automation to tailor future messaging.

MAKE YOUR BRAND FAMOUS

To build brand recognition, appear where the target audience already spends time and use existing platforms instead of focusing only on owned channels. Survey trends, popular content, and creators to find culturally relevant ideas. Create content that entertains or educates rather than feeling like a sales pitch. Schedule time to explore magazines and social feeds for inspiration and adapt insights to the brand story. Invest in collaborations, podcasts, or co-branded content to reach audiences where they already pay attention.

HOW OWNER.COM 42.2X'D AUDIENCE YOY WITH A 3-WORD STRATEGY

Owner.com, a platform helping restaurant owners grow, increased its audience by focusing on world-class content. The team selects ideas relevant to busy restaurant owners, executes them with high production quality, and scales through a system with specialized roles in scriptwriting, filming, and editing. Every piece is evaluated for usefulness and engagement, with underperforming content canceled after production.

HOW TO MAKE LINKEDIN CAROUSELS USING CLAUDE'S SKILLS FEATURE

Start by selecting a carousel that perfectly reflects your branding and tone. Then have Claude analyze it and generate a SKILL.md file that captures structure, style, and content framework. Upload the skill to Claude, and it can produce slide-by-slide briefs and full carousels on any topic, maintaining the original visual identity and layout. After minor tweaks in Canva, the process delivers on-brand carousels in about 15 minutes, combining automation with authentic design.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS REPORTING PLAYBOOK

Google has published a comprehensive overview of all reporting surfaces in Google Analytics 4, which differ from previous versions of Google Analytics. The playbook includes detailed sections on Reports, Explore, Advertising, Data API, and BigQuery export, as well as dedicated information on Audiences, Case Studies, Common Questions, and Reporting Gotchas.

INSIDE THE CLEVER MARKETING OVERHAUL THAT TURNED THE US ARMY INTO A RECRUITMENT POWERHOUSE

The US Army's 2024 recruitment success was driven by a corporate-style overhaul of its marketing infrastructure, hiring ex-industry leaders from companies like Johnson&Johnson, and creating 50 new internal roles in fields like behavioral economics. Based in Chicago, the Army's agency AEMO and its creative partner DDB Chicago collaborate to produce emotionally grounded campaigns such as “Own the Night” and “Generation” that speak to different political climates. Campaigns reflect both lived soldier experiences and strategic brand positioning, with AEMO using exclusive access to internal data to guide message targeting and tone.

FIXING THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN MARKETING AND REVENUE

Many companies do plenty of marketing but fail to drive revenue because their efforts aren't tied to real business outcomes. Teams chase vanity metrics like clicks and impressions instead of focusing on pipeline and sales. Misalignment between marketing, sales, and finance creates confusion, while short-term thinking prevents learning. Real progress comes when marketing is accountable for revenue, shares goals with sales, and functions as core business infrastructure that turns activity into measurable growth.

PERPLEXITY TO PAY SNAP $400M TO POWER SEARCH IN SNAPCHAT

Perplexity will embed its AI search engine in Snapchat's My AI chatbot, reaching over 940 million users.

HOW TO ESTABLISH THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ON YOUTUBE

Identify the viewer's problem using their own words, package content with a clear before and after, write a title that makes a promise, and use a thumbnail that introduces the process.