When we ask what people are looking forward to in 2025, we are hearing that many are reconsidering their business plans. In certain instances, they are even considering re-strategizing since they expect significant changes due to new technologies, funding, and even a change in target audience sentiments. We applaud this because there is a lot that is going on that suggests the next couple of years will see shifts in the landscape. It’s important, though, to remember that planning and strategizing are two different activities. Most of you who receive our emails know this, but it might be worthwhile to clarify.

A strategy is a planned course of action for accomplishing a set of goals. It’s not the actual actions one takes, but rather the path an organization follows. It considers the competitive landscape, your organization’s position in it, your competitive advantages, and most importantly, the products that can be leveraged, and the attributes that your target audience finds most appealing.

For instance, Folger’s Coffee’s approach, as expressed in their tagline, “The best part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup,” is to be the number one coffee brand consumed in the mornings. They don’t want to compete with Starbucks and other beverages for other coffee drinking occasions. They just want to own the morning. And Folger’s has done everything it can to make the morning home cup of coffee theirs – from the choice of bean blends to the packaging, to the sensory cues, especially the aroma.

A strategy gives rise to a plan, one that lays out the steps along the strategic path. The plan is the steps, it details how to get there rather than where to go. A key component is a budget. Aside from being orderly and logical, an effective plan relies on access to reliable data and objective analysis. In a time where data seems to be sprouting from just about everywhere, it’s important to know which data sets and points are organizational drivers. I’ve seen meetings spin out of control because there was way too much time spent on numbers that in the end had very little true impact on the plan. 

I’ve also seen, and this one way too often, subjective misinterpretations of data.  I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be objective in the planning process. And one of the signs that planning is being too heavily influenced by subjectivity is the phrase “because it’s what we’ve always done.” Like an over-stuffed closet, sometimes you need to get rid of those items that that are beloved but no longer fit or are out of fashion. This is especially true when it comes to marketing and communications.  Which is why It’s helpful to have a “closet organizer.”  Someone to help assess what to keep and what to throw out. And a qualified organizer has the breadth of experience, not to mention the objectivity, to see the clutter and have feasible options at the ready.

So, as you start the process, make sure you are clear as to whether you need to re-think your strategy or re-plot your plan. If you want to make sure, we’re happy to chat with you.

While social media has always been a bit of an unruly beast, Twitter of late, under the stewardship of Mr. Musk, has been going through its own set of unique upheavals. I’m not going to chronicle the issues, but really use them to draw attention to the importance of rebalancing your communication portfolio if you haven’t already.

I’m sure you noticed that the reach of your posts, especially on Facebook, has dipped significantly. I saw a report the other day that says 6% or less of your fans see your posts organically. So much for building “community.” Like Twitter, let’s not forget that Facebook is a commercial enterprise and that they are interested in turning a profit. Which is fine, until you begin to see dismal performance like this and begin to realize that organic posting has serious limitations. Now there are multiple ways to try to increase organic reach. For instance, you can increase posting frequency, create posts with better-quality images and videos, incorporate motion graphics in your posts, and share important news about your organizations. But truth be told, if you want to reach more of your community, you’re going to need to pay for distribution. And for those well-acquainted with Facebook, in particular, that means either boosting or paying for ads. All social media platforms make it simple to boost your posts; usually, it is no more complicated than creating the post you want to boost, picking your target, setting the duration, and then setting the budget. So, inadvertently, what was “owned” is now “paid media. And that means you have to balance your “communication portfolio” among the three tactics: “earned,” “owned”, and “paid” media. Again, the planning principles are the same as before:

1. Determine if your audience is still there. Sounds silly. Of course, your peeps are there. Or are they? Many may have migrated away from Twitter and Facebook and made LinkedIn, Instagram, or one of the lesser-known apps like BeReal, Threads, or Substack their primary, go-to social media app. As with any market, it fractures over time and more and more niche players garner a share of the market at the expense of the market leaders.

2. Know (not just understand) the relative impact of each effort as it helps you reach your goals. One of our mantras is “predictability and control.” While we all love surprise success, the truth is if you have a pulse on your market, you should be good at forecasting your yield. And that means within a 10% margin of error. Any more means you need to revisit your assumptions. For those who plan paid efforts on digital media, most, if not all platforms, will give you an estimate of how many people you’ll reach. And from there, you should be able to estimate how many positive responses you’ll get. If you aren’t planning to achieve a goal, then stop what you are doing and start.

3. Allocate appropriate resources based on results vs. simply boxing to a budget. Said another way, if you still want to use social media (or any earned media tactic), make sure you have a realistic goal in mind. Build a model, work through the assumptions, and then, when you get to the forecast you need. If you are buying adds and boosting, calculate the budget and shift that into your “paid” column. What you might find is that your campaigns were doomed from the start because they never had the critical mass to reach your goals. It is the most common explanation for missing a forecast. It is thinking that simply buying a can of paint will be sufficient to cover a wall. Unless you accurately calculate the square footage of the wall and check the amount of surface the can of paint will cover, you might find your coverage is too thin or there are going to be places you can’t cover.

4. Understand that “earned” media is getting harder and harder to generate. This is the part that hurts organizations that are working with tight budgets. There are far fewer media outlets that you can use to generate “earned” media. And the aforementioned changes in how the main social media channels operate create even more headwinds. So, in evaluating “earned,” “owned”, and “paid”, recognize that “owned” and “paid” might be worth prioritizing over “earned.” This means being open with your leadership and asking for a budget to support those two legs of the communication stool.

One caveat to all this: in a year, this will evolve. If the past has taught us anything, it is that the media landscape keeps shifting, and you need to be constantly vigilant about how these changes affect your efforts. One thing we know for sure is that carefully balancing the three components of your communications effort is critical to meeting your marketing goals. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me at mtinati@kineticsmarcom.com.

Okay, before you accuse me of being a pedant, let me explain. After seeing, reading and analyzing consumer behavior for over three decades, I’ve noticed an increasingly aggressive dismissiveness of the institutions that for so long felt like pillars of society. 

About a week ago, quite by accident, I read a piece on a postmodernism.  While I was aware of the phenomenon, I really didn’t understand its impact until now. Britannica defines postmodernism as a “broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology. in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.” Here is my definition – Postmodern basically means turning your back on authority figures, relying on yourself and your peers and living in a world where everything is fluid. Starting to sound familiar? I’m not going to venture into the political waters or any of the social debates. I’ll stick to commercial communications.

There are two campaigns that are good examples of postmodernism in commercial communications, and they offer some lessons for those of us in non-profits, education, government and health care. The first is the Progressive Insurance campaign featuring Jon Hamm. If you haven’t seen the campaign, here is a link to it. Watch it before you keep reading.

So, why am I making a big deal out of this? Rarely, if ever, does a brand pay big bucks for a celebrity spokesperson and then make light of that person. The traditional approach was to have Jon Hamm’s brand identity rub off on your brand, usually by putting him on a pedestal so his positive brand standing magically transfers to yours. Now what Progressive has done is signaled to its audience, with a “wink and nudge” that they get that celebrity endorsements are bogus, and they know consumers are looking for more substantive content before making a purchase decision. In an industry where it is so hard to differentiate oneself – one that relied on spokespeople and mascots to distinguish one company from another – this is a big shift. If you don’t believe me, check out NJM insurance, which openly mocks it competitors by saying that their initials stand for “No Jingles and Mascots.” 

But this isn’t the only example. Check out this spot about Hulu’s new service. I love the casting and art direction, but what puts it over the top is that it acknowledges that a catchy product name won’t convince you to switch to a new service. The service will be the reason you switch. And, to get that point across, they chose a “stupid” name.  One more in this vein: Liberty Mutual’s commercial with teenagers having fun – here’s the link to it.  Yep, another traditional communications tactic cut down at the knees.

The point is that this self-deprecation is meant to show today’s consumers that companies and their brands want to connect with consumers as equals. No more selling some unrealistic utopia based on bigness or heritage or superiority complex – no more commercial mansplaining. They get it, so you can get that they aren’t the usual “take themselves too seriously” company. 

So, how do we, the education, non-profit, government and health care sectors, exist in this postmodern world? You can’t use self-deprecating humor like an insurance company or cable service can. And, it isn’t showing a lot of smiling people in your communications, either.

So what should you do?

1.    Build facets and components into your product and/or services that are absolutely unique. If you are a “me-too” organization, then you need to build that differentiation into upcoming upgrades. Otherwise, you will undermine any brand promise you make.  If you are asking a person to choose you and promise them you will deliver a superior product or experience for them, the promise is more believable if you are distinctive. In other words, what makes you unique is what makes you a better choice for them. 

2.    Most consumers want to know you sincerely care about them.  Not being a “number” means being sincerely open to them. Have you made it as easy as possible for them to interact with you? Do you respond in an appropriate fashion when they reach out to you? Do you show sufficient flexibility in dealing with them? Trust me, it’s more than scripted dialogues, it’s honesty, transparency and being helpful.

3.    And finally, and as always, all your communication needs to be an “Unforgettable Conversation with a Friend.” If you treat your consumers as friends and speak to them about things that matter to them, they will be open to your messaging. This will never change, even in a post-modern world.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me at mtinati@kineticsmarcom.com.