#31: Dove's ad blunder, WTF is a martech stack, and the radical history of Mother's Day
Hello friends, and happy Saturday.
To all you moms out there, Happy Hallmark-induced influx of flowers, necklaces, pictures, and other tchotchkes in exchange for your labor, resilience, patience, and all the other things that go into being a Mom.
Tomorrow is a truly special day... at least for retailers and restaurants who will rake in $19.9 billion.
Touching.
In edition #31 of the World's Best Newsletter:
1. The radical and dark history of Mother's Day
2. My new post on the Dove ad blunder shows the bar is higher for marketing to women
3. WTF is a Martech stack?
4. Call for applications - Boston Content leadership committee
5. Boston's new Engagio user group
6. An exercise in language compression
7. Quote of the week: most important skills for marketers
1. The radical and dark history of Mother's Day
Today, it's a $20B day of shopping.
But Mother's Day has a more radical history. It was "founded for mourning women to remember fallen soldiers and work for peace. And when the holiday went commercial, its greatest champion, Anna Jarvis, gave everything to fight it, dying penniless and broken in a sanitarium."
PLEASE take a few mins to read the radical history of Mother's Day in Nat Geo and another perspective in the activist group blog Code Pink.
(This newsletter is of course fair and balanced, just like Fox News.)
2. My new post on the Dove ad blunder shows the bar is higher for marketing to women
Have you SEEN this ridiculous, lazy, exploitative and downright SILLY campaign from Dove? Hilarious.
"Celebrate the many shapes and sizes of beauty." Ok, sure.
Every time I see the short stumpy one I want to crack up laughing. It's my favorite.
Seriously, who among us would choose that one in the aisle at Target.
"Oh, rotund and squat? That's me! Thank GOD a brand FINALLY understands me."
Eye roll.
The same company that was heralded by some for "leading the charge" against unrealistic beauty standards for women is also responsible for the Axe Effect commercials featuring unrealistically skinny actresses lusting over douchey men.
Hypocrisy for profit always deserves public shaming, IMO.
Also, regarding this phrase "femvertising" - no. Just no. NO. Go read my full post for more.
3. WTF is a Martech stack?
Industry giant AdAge published the perspective of my friends at Allocadia during the MarTech SFO event this past week after a conversation in a combination laundromat/high-end coffee bar (I miss San Francisco.)
Reporter George Slefo had originally conceived the article titled "WTF is a MarTech Stack?" appropriate to describe the sentiment of many in the old-school world of advertising as the industry intersects with the fast-changing world of martech.
Alas, AdAge's editors ended up with "What Exactly is a Martech Stack?" an excellent piece about the state of martech in the context of our industry as a whole. Read on.
4. Call for applications - Boston Content leadership committee
Boston Content, a community of over 1,300 content professionals in Boston (producers, makers, marketers, enthusiasts, technologists) wants YOU! The organization is seeking volunteers for its leadership committee, with roles available ranging from a community manager to event strategists. Apply now, before May 31st.
5. Boston's new Engagio user group
If you're in Greater Boston and interested in Account Based Marketing, use Engagio, or want to learn more about either, join a new meetup founded by my friend Mark Feldman - the Boston Engagio User Group.
6. An exercise in language compression
Are pop lyrics getting more repetitive? This article in ThePudding by Colin Morris is a combination of interesting topic with new-media formatting that makes it fun to explore. Read the full visual essay, and enjoy.
7. Quote of the week: most important skills for marketers
The quote of the week came in conversation with Brendan Cournoyer, VP of Corporate Marketing at Rt 128-institution Brainshark. We were talking about building a marketing team when he dropped this truth bomb:
"The most important skills in marketing today are curiosity and instinct."
I couldn't agree more. Marketers need to constantly be asking "how can we do this better?" and cultivate their internal fortitude to navigate daily decisions with confidence. If anyone's heard me rant about "trusting their goo" this is what I'm talking about. (And someday I am writing that book, damnit.)
PS, rumor has it Brendan may be sharing more content career insight in an upcoming Boston Content event. Make sure you're on the list to be notified as soon as rumors MAY OR MAY NOT be reality.
Jesus, I sound like Sean Spicer.
Have a wonderful weekend, and Happy Mother's Day, you rebels.
Best,
Katie
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