Category: Uncategorized

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, life as we know is evolving as well. What was once considered “normal” just a few months ago (air travel, sporting events, seeing the lower halves of peoples’ faces) is all but obsolete these days, and vice versa. Certain brands, apps, products and services consumers relied upon pre-COVID have fallen by the wayside, and others that were regarded as a luxury or for a niche market are now regarded as essential or have seen their usage significantly increase.

Take the grocery app Instacart, for example. According to the trade publication Grocery Dive, ecommerce and delivery apps like Instacart, Shipt and Walmart have seen upwards of 100 percent growth during the COVID pandemic, and the pressure is on for both the apps and their retail partners to keep the momentum going through updates and offerings in order to sustain consumer loyalty.

FIFTEEN’s PR Manager, Tara Erwin, tried Instacart for the first time during the quarantine, and said it’s become part of her weekly shopping routine.

“Before COVID, I was a little wary about the pricing markups, and not sure if the service was worth it,” she said. (Instacart typically increases the prices for items around 15 percent, plus there’s the delivery fee and driver tip) “But now I can easily justify the cost, especially since our household budget for entertainment and gas are practically nothing. It’s well worth it for me not to have to go into a grocery store these days.”

Subscription services that deliver wine and meal kits are also seeing a huge uptick as well, since many of us couldn’t go to bars and restaurants with shelter in place restrictions. Forbes reported a 441 percent year over year increase with ecommerce alcohol sales for the week ending April 4, 2020, and according to CNBC, we spent around $100 million on meal kits for the month ending April 11, almost double during the same period in 2019. Home improvement is also seeing a huge uptick in activity as well, fueled by the double whammy of hardware stores being deemed an essential business during the quarantine shutdown, and many of us opting to do projects around the house since summer travel plans are at a standstill. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot cited an increase in sales for Q1 2020 in a recent Business Insider article.

Jennifer Fortune, Media Director at FIFTEEN, can relate to the desire to stay in, and says she’s been turning to new(ish) forms of entertainment she can enjoy from the comfort of home.

“I’m not at all a gamer, and haven’t played video games since the OG Pac-Man in the 80s, but at the recommendation of one of our coworkers I ended buying a Nintendo Switch Lite and the game Animal Crossing New Horizons,” she said. “This helps me pass a lot of time; it is relaxing and allows me to be very creative.” The game came out on March 30, at the start of the pandemic, and 13 million copies were sold in the first six weeks, so clearly Jen isn’t alone in her new hobby.

The warmer weather has also meant we’re spending more time outdoors, eager for a cure to cabin fever. The result has been mixed for outdoor/adventure brands according to an article in Outside, a magazine for outdoor recreationalists. Some have been struggling to keep up, since production of goods in China halted when the novel coronavirus struck there earlier this year, and as a ripple effect, warehouses and retailers stateside furloughed workers. Others, especially the cycling industry, saw double digit increases in bike sales compared to last year. Overall, the industry is expected to rebound, with a survey on consumer opinions finding people are strongly motivated to continue with new habits they developed during COVID, including outdoor recreation.

FIFTEEN Partner Zack Schneider is a testament to this. He says a product he’s purchased during the pandemic that he and his family have gotten a lot of use from are the Camelbak hydration packs for weekend hikes.

“They are so much easier than hauling all the kids’ water bottles everytime we go on a hike,” he said. “We find so many little treasures stuffed in there along the way. Best purchase of COVID so far. Well, that and our puppy,” he added, “which also came with a number of add on purchases.” (Zack may be onto something: since the pandemic hit, animal shelters across the nation have reported increased animal adoptions and fostering…in fact, our local SPCA posted on social media at the end of March that all of the dogs at its West Seneca shelter were adopted).

These booms in business come at a cost, however, with the entertainment, travel and restaurant industries all but decimated during the pandemic. Some recent highlights (or lowlights?) include:

– As of August 6, over half of Americans surveyed said they still don’t feel comfortable flying, and industry experts are predicting the number of passengers won’t return to 2019 levels for at least another three years.

– The head of the National Association of Theatre Owners said at the end of July, “If we don’t find a way to reopen, a lot of jobs will be lost and a lot of companies will go away.” (Since then, Disney announced its anticipated live action “Mulan” remake will premiere on the Disney+ streaming service instead of theater distribution).

– At the end of June, Yelp reported 53 percent of its restaurant closures are listed as “permanent,” and according to the National Restaurant Association in July, the industry had already lost $120 billion and predicted doubling that number by December.

As to what the future holds for any industry, it’ll probably depend on what our “new normal” looks like long term. If a vaccine is brought to market, will it allay peoples’ fears, allowing them to venture out again, especially to crowded venues like concerts, movie theaters and sporting events? Or will this tendency to turn inward and focus on smaller social circles prevail? One thing is certain, however: a brand’s ability to stay nimble and quickly adapt with the ever-changing times will directly correlate with its longevity success.

For an industry that’s typically among the top few mentioned in those taking a major financial hit right now, Advertising & Marketing is in many ways fairly pandemic-proof — at least in terms of our day-to-day work. We are lucky enough, and privileged enough, that the pivot to working from home has not negatively impacted our ability, capability, or productivity. We’ve been able to serve our clients unimpeded, without a drop in quality or missed deadlines.

Here are some of our examples of how our resilient services have fueled relevancy and recovery for our clients:

Video + Photography Production

The strategy for most verticals has shifted from the in-person to the virtual — maintaining and creating connections even when we’re apart. An increased consumption of on-demand digital content means that pretty pictures are more important than ever. So at FIFTEEN, we never stopped shooting. Unlike Hollywood productions, untenable with 50-100 people on set at any given time (hence the delay in your favorite show’s new season), we’ve been able to design slimmed-down shoots for safety and social distancing. That means skeleton crews, temperature checks, masks and gloves all day, and lunch breaks shared only at shouting distance.

For our global food manufacturing client Rich Products, this has resulted in a steady stream of fresh, relevant photo and video content for customers in dire need of new solutions for our new normal. We’ve utilized those assets over multiple platforms, including virtual trade shows, digital guidelines for operators transitioning to off-premise service, and best-practice templates enabling the creation of your own content at home. While their peers may be recycling old assets, Rich’s has been able to share timely new products and insights for an audience hungry for solutions — contributing to steady sales numbers compared to where they were pre-pandemic.

Animation + Post Production

Like magic, FIFTEEN’s animators can create something — anything — out of nothing, from product renderings to the fully-realized worlds of your dreams — all without leaving the comfort of home. Our client Howden, a global manufacturer of industrial equipment, has turned to FIFTEEN for a series of animated videos highlighting their technological leaps in customer service — remote monitoring, diagnosis, even repairs — which happen to resonate strongly during a chapter in our lives when we’re staying away from one another. Discovery, scripting, storyboarding, animation, voiceover — all of it accomplished without two people having to be in the same room.

Along the same lines, we found a way to create new visual content for one of our retail clients, Azuna, without ever having to leave our computer screens. Makers of an all-natural odor eliminator and air purifier, Azuna’s products are perfect for a time when we’re all spending more time and creating more smells at home. FIFTEEN was able to utilize existing footage and re-mix with photo-realistic renderings, new voiceover, and brief animations to create a collection of direct-to-consumer infomercials that will be seen on TV screens across the USA in September.

Strategy

You’re focused on what’s right in front of you — putting out fires, new business models, and doing whatever it takes to stay afloat. While we’re in the thick of it with you, we are also focused on what’s next, and what’s coming further down the road. FIFTEEN keeps our thumb on the pulse and an eye on the future so that when you come up for air? We’re prepared with insight, advice, and concrete ideas for how you can succeed in the new normal.

History has shown that those who prioritize connecting with audiences now? Will emerge stronger than those who pull back. This is not a time to turtle. This is a time to innovate, captivate, and thrive. The examples above represent only a glimpse into how FIFTEEN is poised to ensure your message reaches the right audience — for right now, and for what’s next.

2020 will live on forever as the year the world changed as we knew it. Everything came grinding to a halt – but not for our clients whose work was deemed as essential. Their industries transformed overnight, and they needed a partner to help make sense of this changing landscape and navigate it effectively. So, FIFTEEN modified our approach to fit their needs. Weekly meetings turned to daily status updates. In-person became digital. Strategies became action. With things changing literally by the minute, here’s how we helped our clients through the pivot.

Foodservice Moves to Takeout / Delivery Model

Rich Products is a leader in the global food industry known for providing innovative solutions to customers for over 75 years. Many of their core customers — bakeries, pizzerias and restaurant operators — are in the industry most immediately impacted by the shutdown. These customers need tools to help them transition to a takeout and delivery service model. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. The result was a suite of insights and digital toolkits for pivoting to online, as opposed to in-person, service — including ways to get started on social media, post templates, and customizable email campaigns. Rich’s global reach means that operators all over the world are learning how to go digital, and this how-to content is designed to help them get there. The toolkits have been such a big hit with operators that Rich’s plans to continue to provide this added value moving forward.

Hands-Off Healthcare

SCU Health System, an integrative healthcare facility located in Southern California, specializes in hands-on treatments like chiropractic care and acupuncture. SCU Health wanted to support their patients and staff while providing the same great care their patients were accustomed to. They needed a way to communicate to their current patients and community about their move to telehealth services. Enter a multi-touch email campaign that addressed the new services available at SCU Health – telehealth visits from the comfort of your home, herbs and supplements shipped directly to your door, and a free webinar series designed to help cope with quarantine and manage stress. SCU Health also launched two new services in response to the pandemic, including a limited-contact, drive-thru COVID-19 screening and COVID-19 antibody testing. These services each had an accompanying landing page to drive awareness and traffic to the SCU Health site and its essential capabilities. SCU’s efforts were amplified through a targeted PR campaign, led by FIFTEEN, that resulted in a feature on their local Mayor’s COVID-19 resources page.

Supporting Frontline Workers

For Catholic Health (CHS), all elective services stopped overnight and their hospitals became hot-spots for pandemic treatment. CHS recognized that their healthcare workers were putting their lives on the line every day to help their patients – and they wanted to show their appreciation. CHS engaged FIFTEEN for help with a media buying campaign honoring the heroes of the pandemic: healthcare workers. The #HeartsForWNYHeroes creative included billboards, TV, radio and streaming spots that blanketed the market. Additionally, a poster placed in a local newspaper urged readers to display it on their windows for frontline workers to see. The little blue hearts could be seen in residential windows all across the city. Learn more here →

Through our essential service clients, we became essential, too. Our in-house capabilities helped our clients to effectively communicate and adjust their marketing strategies to meet the needs of our time. Learn about other ways we have helped these clients and more →

“Shelter in place.” “Social distancing.” “Flatten the curve.” While it’s hard to believe that a little over a month ago we’d never heard of these phrases, social media and the 24-hour news cycle have ensured they’ve become part of our everyday lexicon as we battle the novel COVID-19 virus.

Believe it or not, though, there is an end in sight. If history is any indication, our society will fundamentally change because calamities like this tend to expose our weak spots. There have been many thought pieces published about what that means for marketers, but we haven’t found any to be as comprehensive and informative as After Right Now, a collaboration between Toronto-area agencies Bensimon Byrne, OneMethod and Narrative.

Using the 1918 Spanish Flu and 9/11 as examples, the report takes a look at what kinds of behaviors, values and habits we can expect to see from consumers right now, in the not-so-distant future (3-18 months from now) and 18 months onward as the dust presumably settles and things go back to “normal.”

While the authors are up front about their predictions being speculation, they do share some compelling statistics to back up their claims, as well as draw upon their collective experiences to make educated guesses.

Here are some key takeaways:

1. Right now, it’s important for brands to stay in contact with their audiences through appropriate content. While it may be tempting to “go dark” or even assume people have more important things to worry about than your brand, research shows that while conserving marketing budgets helps the bottom line in the short term, it actually hurts in the long run as a brand can be perceived as uncaring.

Audiences still want some normalcy, and they’re going to log on to see what their favorite snack food is posting on Instagram. Just be sure to show sensitivity by taking into account the current situation. For example, with health experts encouraging social distancing, now is not the time to post ideas for hosting a large family gathering.

2. In the near future, we can still expect to see economic reverberations affecting our buying habits, for both large and small purchases. Marketers will need to be empathetic to buyers and their bank accounts, as many will be trying to recover from debt incurred while they were furloughed.

Brands may need to reposition themselves to this new group, called “Used To Haves” in the report, by focusing on attributes such as reliability, steadfastness and security in order to rebuild trust and maximize appeal.

3. Who the experts are will change moving forward. Whereas before influencers and “keyboard warriors” were able to command attention and their word was taken as Gospel, the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis is going to result in a renewed trust in elected officials and traditional media (especially on a local level), and decreased cynicism toward specialists within the public and private sectors.

We’ve certainly seen this phenomenon already start to take place, as local news outlets report increased viewer and readership since the COVID-19 crisis started. Audiences are recognizing the value of reporting about what’s going on in their backyards in addition to around the world. Elected officials who engage regularly with their constituents and are open with their communications are also being lauded for their leadership and transparency. Experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci are emerging as national heroes who offer a calm voice backed by decades of experience amidst the storm.

After Right Now also predicts some societal changes that will permanently alter our collective psyche moving forward. The authors cover topics like technology, civil liberties and economic security as they pertain to our buying habits and brand perception.

The bottom line is that from now on we are going to view our way of life in terms of “pre-COVID” vs. “post-COVID,” and if history is any indication, we must either adapt with the times or be left behind.

When you have work, family, pets and other responsibilities to worry about, taking care of yourself often falls to the wayside. It is critical, especially during these stressful times, to practice self-care, so we can be at our best for ourselves and those who rely on us.

Self-care seems simple in theory (the literal definition, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “care for oneself”), but in practice can be quite challenging. I believe self-care routines depend on the person and can be molded to individual likes and dislikes. No matter where you are in your self-care journey, there are five simple things* you can do right now to start feeling your best.

*Mini disclaimer – I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV. As a rule of thumb, always speak to a medical professional before starting any treatment, regimen, or exercise program.

1. Let There Be Light

Sunlight is attributed to many benefits, including a great source of Vitamin D and serotonin production. A low amount of either can trigger adverse health effects, including moodiness and fatigue. Looking for a quick and easy way to feel better? Open the curtains! Now that daylight savings is over, the sun rises earlier and sets later. Take advantage of that extra sunlight while you can. If your circumstances are such that you need to work in a basement or other part of your home without windows, give a sunlamp a try (note: I don’t have a relationship with Verilux…I just really like their HappyLights).

2. Walk it Out

You don’t need to have expensive equipment or a gym membership to exercise. Going for a walk will give you a boost of sunshine (see #1) and get your blood pumping. If walking isn’t your thing, try a 30-minute workout. There are many apps and fitness videos available online – some of them are even free or offer free trials. The Fitbit app and Winsor Pilates are two that I enjoy (again, no partnership implied). Exercise is a good stress reliever, too. Pro tip – If you find a workout vid that requires weights, try using two cans of beans instead. Works like a charm!

3. An Apple a Day

Coupled with exercise, a healthy diet will help you feel better from the inside out. As my Nana always said, “You can’t drive a car without gas.” Think of food as fuel and a way to thank your body for all it does for you every day. Having the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables and protein (from meat or beans/nuts/grains) can make all the difference in how you feel.

4. Relax and Unwind

After a long day, taking some time for yourself will do wonders for your self-care. This doesn’t mean you have to be alone (but you can be if you want). Aim to do something you enjoy in one of these three categories: social, creative or meditative. Social can mean calling up a friend or family member to chat. Creative may be an activity like coloring, baking, or playing a game. Meditative can literally mean meditating, or even just sitting quietly alone, listening to relaxing music. I personally enjoy this ambient music on YouTube.

5. Treat Yo’Self

These are stressful times, so adopting the mantra of “treat yo’self” once in a while will help your mood and lift your spirits. Craving a sugar fix? Try having a few pieces of dark chocolate instead (everything in moderation). Do you have a few extra dollars from not buying coffee every morning? Maybe buy that pair of jeans you’ve been eyeing up online.

Practicing self-care not only benefits you but everyone around you. When you feel your best, you can be your best. Even if it is just ten minutes a day, finding time to honor and cherish yourself is an important part of self-care. If you find it hard to remember to take time for yourself, try setting a reminder on your phone or going old-school and putting sticky notes around your home. I’m pledging at least 10 minutes a day for myself, and I invite you to do the same. Let’s take care of ourselves, together.

In the first decade of the 2000s I had a job that allowed me to work from home full time. In over 10 years, I can say with confidence that I mastered the art—and if I am honest, prefer it to a traditional office setting (no offense to anyone I’ve physically worked with over the years!).

It’s definitely a learned skill, and since a large percentage of the population is currently navigating the home office set up, I thought I would share some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned that will keep you productive, healthy and sane:

Daily Schedule

It’s important to maintain the same schedule you would have if you were still going to an office.

– While it may seem tempting to sleep in just a little bit extra, this can quickly become a bad habit. Set your alarm like you normally would and try to keep the same morning routine.

– Make sure you take little breaks throughout the day when you work at home, just as you would at the office (and the beauty of these mini-breaks is that you can throw in a load of laundry or empty the dishwasher, which gives you more free time after hours).

– Take a lunch break, at least 30 minutes. You can easily lose track of time when you are working at home, and suddenly you realize it’s 2:30 p.m. and you are HANGRY. Use this break to nourish yourself with food and fresh air. If you are someone who loses track of time, add your lunch break right to your calendar as a reminder to yourself and anyone attempting to schedule meetings at that time.

– End your day at a reasonable time. Sometimes it’s tempting to “just do one more thing,” and before you know it, it’s 8 p.m., you’re starving (again) and the dog is giving you the side-eye. When it is time to end the day, let your coworkers know you are wrapping it up, straighten up your workspace, and turn off work-related computer apps.

Designated Office Space

Having a space designated for work is key for staying focused AND disconnecting.

– Whether it’s an actual home office, a spare bedroom or a corner of the dining room table, try to keep that space for work-related activities only. And go to that space only during business hours.

– If working from home is only temporary, still make the space seem like a ‘real office.’ In addition to office supplies, add photos, hand lotion, a candle, or anything else that will make it feel cozy and familiar.

– Working at home with children presents its own set of challenges, but try to remember this is an adjustment for them, too. Having a dedicated workspace teaches them boundaries, which will also hopefully minimize interruptions. Plus, the best part of having a daily schedule is you can promise your little ones you’ll read to them or play with Legos during your break at a specific time. This gives them—and you—something to look forward to.

Eating

– It is very tempting to just bring that bag of chips and tub of Bison Dip into your office space. DO NOT DO THIS. Since your kitchen is within reach, it is very easy to snack mindlessly all day, especially when we all have a bit more anxiety than usual and food is a comfort. Pack a lunch the night before, and portion out snacks to eat throughout the day. If you don’t trust yourself not to overeat while sitting in front of the computer, only eat in your non-work-designated spaces and only during your break times.

– Get dressed. I completely understand the desire to live in leggings or pjs while working at home. But force yourself to put on real pants a couple of days so you can quickly tell if you are eating too much. Plus if you dress like a slob, you will also start to feel one, and that isn’t great for your self-esteem or work ethic.

Human Interaction

Lack of human interaction is probably the part of working from home that people struggle with the most (I’m talking to you, extroverts). It’s heightened during these times when social interaction is verboten.

– If you realize you are feeling lonely or depressed, you’ve already tackled the first hurdle, which is to acknowledge it. Recognize what you are feeling and know that the situation is temporary. You are tough and we will get through this!

– Play music or listen to podcasts. Having the sound of anything but your whirring brain will help you feel less alone.

– Pick up the phone and call your coworker, friend, sibling or parent. Working from home is new to most of them as well, and they are also experiencing moments of isolation. Use one of your breaks to commiserate or gossip or laugh or whatever feels normal and natural.

In the coming weeks, you may realize that you are actually more productive at home; being more efficient leaves you with more time for yourself.

Do you have any work from home tips and tricks? Head over to FIFTEEN’s LinkedIn to share some of your best ones.

FIFTEEN is a number of connections—artists, innovators and storytellers synergizing with strategists, builders and leaders.

This is not only the introduction to our website, but our mantra that reappears throughout our prospect and client communication. And while we are all of those things, this month’s #Chapter15 on our Instagram account focuses on the process of storytelling.

Storytelling has a long history and is present in every culture across the globe. Stories are used to educate, to entertain, to preserve history, to teach a lesson and instill morals. So you might wonder why we would refer to ourselves, advertising professionals, as storytellers? Isn’t our job merely to sell products and services to consumers? Or, are we here to educate and entertain, to influence opinions and values?

A story, in its basic form, is communicating with words and/or images. Similarly, an ad, whether created for print or broadcast or digital platforms, communicates with words and/or with images.

A story unfolds as it’s told; the storyteller must improvise and embellish along the way to keep the audience’s attention. In advertising, we have to be flexible and nimble when a project changes course. We have to use language in a way that makes people take note.

We know that there are a number of ways to solve a client’s problem, many ways to tell a client’s story. The plot is different depending on who tells it. Check out our Instagram to see how our story changes with your help!

The Super Bowl means different things to different people. Some are there to root for their favorite team, some tune in for the half-time musical act, while others (like me!) watch simply for the entertainment value of the commercials.

Advertisers know this, too, and count on the widespread appeal of the Super Bowl, television’s most-watched live event, to bring their A-game with witty, inspirational, or informative ads.

Even with declining ratings, viewership for this year’s Super Bowl is still expected to be around 90 million people, and Fox is charging up to $5.6 million for a national 30-second spot. As FIFTEEN’s Media Director, I’m curious to see which brands choose to spend advertising dollars for a presence in such a high profile event. Here’s a brief rundown on how this year’s crop of national commercials is shaping up from a media buying perspective:

· Fox sold out of its national inventory in November 2019, the fastest that has happened in five years.

· There were originally 77 30-second spots available, but because brands are opting to book more time (examples include the Trump and Bloomberg political campaigns, Super Bowl rookie Little Caesars and Audi, which are each running 60-second spots) there are fewer advertisers.

· Because of the high demand, Fox found space for an additional 2.5 minutes for commercials in “floater” pods, which are used in case of injuries or other unexpected breaks in the game. This will allow more brands to get in on the action.

· All told, there will be about 50 total commercials during Super Bowl LIV.

While the national Super Bowl ad outlook paints a large-scale picture, local brands can get in on the action, too, since our Buffalo Fox affiliate WUTV will be running spots for regional advertisers. I’ve had the opportunity to negotiate local Super Bowl buys, and the higher stakes and increased exposure allow us to deliver big results for clients.

Here’s some insight on the local ad buying landscape:

· We buy early for local Super Bowl placement. For Sunday’s event, we bought our spots in July 2019. We inquire about pricing even earlier than that.

· The national network determines the number of local spots available, a number that varies from year to year, network to network – and can even change in the days leading up to the big game. We know at least two local ads will be running on Sunday night.

· Local advertisers, and the agencies that represent them, don’t make the final call as to exactly when their spots will run during the event. Typically, local commercials air right before the game starts, at halftime, between quarters, or immediately following the game. National spots air during the game itself.

· However, if we’ve purchased multiple spots for one advertiser, we can request that they’re not played back to back in order to maximize reach. Since healthcare, banks and automotive make up the bulk of local Super Bowl advertising, stations also have to ensure that there’s maximum separation between competitor spots.

I’ve been asked more than once if it’s worth it to advertise locally during the Super Bowl. While the buy isn’t nearly as expensive as the millions of dollars brands pay nationally, local spots are definitely more expensive than other primetime programming. On average, one 30-second commercial on a Buffalo station during the Super Bowl will run between $20,000 – $30,000 (rates vary based on station, inventory supply/demand, purchase lead time and whether it’s part of a larger ad package). Advertisers must make the call if their annual budget merits the one-time investment. However, with nearly half of adults ages 25-54 watching, if the creative is high-quality and the message resonates, the ROI can definitely be worthwhile.

While watching on Sunday, I’ll be looking for some Buffalove among the commercials, and thinking about the fast-paced and exciting process that got them there.

It’s no surprise marketers love collaborating with social media influencers: research shows that 58 percent of consumers have bought a product because an influencer recommended it, and a whopping 89 percent of marketers say ROI from influencer marketing is comparable to or better than other tactics.

It makes sense; social media personalities have spent a lot of time and effort investing in their individual branding. Because they’ve cultivated followers who are interested in their lives, perspectives and preferences, when they engage with a product or service, it feels like the experience is coming from a friend, not a paid spokesperson.

However, that’s exactly what they are, and the FTC has recently issued new guidelines for how influencers portray their collaborations, both paid and unpaid. The consumer protection organization puts the onus on the influencers to share when content is sponsored, reminding them, “as an influencer, it’s your responsibility to make these disclosures, to be familiar with the Endorsement Guides, and to comply with laws against deceptive ads. Don’t rely on others to do it for you.”

What’s more, whenever influencers recommend or endorse something, they should now specify any kind of relationship — even when there’s no money involved. Examples include featuring businesses run by family or friends, or when a company provides free or discounted products in exchange for content.

Labeling the content as being sponsored is pretty straightforward. Most importantly, the disclosure should be easy to see and understandable. For pictures, the FTC says to superimpose the disclosure over the picture to make sure viewers notice it. In videos, mention the relationship in the video itself, both audibly and visually. For live streaming, repeat the information a few times so even if viewers only see part of the stream, they’ll be more likely to get it.

When it comes to exactly what language to use, again let common sense prevail. Don’t make up new terms or abbreviations such as “spon” or “sp” for “sponsored,” and simply saying “Thanks, Company XYZ!” without specifying it’s sponsored a post isn’t enough.

All of these guidelines are in place to protect consumers from unfair business practices. As marketers, it’s our job to properly vet influencers before working with them to ensure they’ll be good stewards of the brand.

The bottom line is that influencer marketing isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, some sources estimate the influencer marketing industry is going to hit $10 billion by next year. A good rule of thumb is to peruse influencers’ feeds before inquiring about partnership opportunities. See how they’re portraying these relationships… if you, wearing your consumer hat, can clearly discern which content is sponsored, it’s a good sign to move forward.