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martes, 18 de febrero de 2025

Which LLM Should You Use for Your Business? [Pros and Cons]

Choosing the right large language model can feel overwhelming with so many options out there, especially if you’re not exactly living and breathing AI

But as we’ve worked through each one, we’ve gotten a real sense of what they’re good at (and where they fall short).

So, let’s talk about what to use, when.

Download Now: 100 ChatGPT Prompts for Marketers [Free Guide]

ChatGPT & OpenAI-o1: The Reliable All-Rounders

Let’s start with ChatGPT and OpenAI-o1.

OpenAI’s latest model is impressive, and people are hyped about its “reasoning” abilities — basically, it’s designed to tackle more logic-heavy stuff alongside the creative tasks that ChatGPT has always been great at.

Why We Like It

  • Big on Logic: OpenAI-o1 uses something called chain-of-thought reasoning. In simpler terms, it’s better at walking through complex problems step by step.
  • Custom GPTs: This feature lets us create models that remember instructions specific to our work. If we need it to think like a project manager or a social media assistant, we can set that up with just a few clicks.

Where It Falls Short

  • Overkill for Basic Stuff: Most of the time, GPT-4 can get the job done. OpenAI-o1 shines with complex tasks, but you might not notice a huge difference for more straightforward use cases.
  • Not a Quantum Leap: The big improvements are behind the scenes. If you’re expecting to see massive changes in day-to-day use, you might be underwhelmed.

When to Use It: Anything involving more complex logic, or when you need tailored responses, like for coding or detailed content editing.

Claude by Anthropic: The Summarizer & Storytelling Champ

Claude is our go-to for summarizing and making sense of long documents.

It’s also fantastic at storytelling, which is helpful if you’re in content creation or need to simplify dense information.

What Makes It Stand Out

  • Document Summarization: Claude is amazing at boiling down information, so it’s perfect when we’ve got huge documents m and need a quick summary.
  • User-Friendly Customization: Anthropic’s Projects feature lets us set up custom instructions for repeat tasks. It feels more intuitive than ChatGPT’s setup.

What to Watch Out For

  • File Size Limits: If you upload a big file (over 20 MB), Claude sometimes throws a fit. We usually compress PDFs to work around this, but it’s worth knowing.

Best Use Case: Summarizing or creating content when you need a straightforward, reliable tool that’s easy to navigate.

Google Gemini: The King of Context (and Podcasting)

Google’s Gemini feels like it’s in a league of its own when it comes to handling tons of data.

We love that it has a massive context window, meaning it can hold and process entire books if needed. Plus, it has a quirky new tool called Notebook LM that turns docs into a mini-podcast for you.

Why It’s Cool

  • Handles Huge Data Loads: With a 10-million-word limit, Gemini can keep track of massive documents all at once, so we can load entire libraries if we need to.
  • Notebook LM: This feature actually turns documents into audio summaries in a conversational podcast format. It’s a great way to get the gist of something while multitasking.

Drawbacks

  • Limited Customization: While it has “Gems” (Google’s answer to custom GPTs), they’re pretty basic. You can’t connect it to other tools or APIs like you can with ChatGPT or Claude.

When to Turn to Gemini: When you need to process a mountain of data at once, or if you’re in the mood for an audio summary while I’m doing something else.

Llama by Meta: Privacy & Flexibility

Llama isn’t necessarily the most advanced, but because it’s open-source, it’s our go-to when privacy is a concern.

Unlike the others, Llama can run offline on your computer, so it doesn’t share data with a big tech company.

Why I’d Recommend It

  • Keeps Things Private: Since Llama runs locally, we can be sure our data stays off the internet.
  • Highly Customizable: Llama’s open-source, meaning we (or any developer) can modify it for unique needs. We don’t do this much, but it’s nice to know it’s an option.

Weak Spots

  • Not the Most Powerful: It’s not as good as Claude or ChatGPT for high-quality content or problem-solving. But for basic use cases, it’s solid.

When It Makes Sense to Use: Anytime privacy is key, like with sensitive internal data, or when you just need a quick local solution.

Grok by xAI: Twitter Data & Realistic Image Generation

Grok is a fun one — it’s a social media native, integrated with X (formerly Twitter).

It’s a decent model and comes with a strong image generator, Flux One, that can make super-realistic visuals. But where it really shines is pulling in Twitter data in real-time.

Why We Use It

  • Live Twitter Insights: Grok lets us see what’s trending or analyze popular Twitter profiles on the spot.
  • Image Generation: Flux One can create realistic images of people, scenes, and more, with few limits on topics.

Downsides

  • Niche Use Cases: It’s great for Twitter data and images but doesn’t stand out in general tasks like summarization or storytelling.

Ideal Use: Social media research and generating realistic visuals for content.

Perplexity: A Researcher’s Best Friend

Perplexity isn’t technically an LLM in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s an AI-powered research tool that pulls information from the internet and then uses a model to organize it.

It’s our go-to when I need quick, accurate information or a second opinion on a topic.

What Makes It Indispensable

  • Web Search Capabilities: Perplexity searches the web and summarizes content, making it perfect for research-heavy tasks.
  • Choose Your Model: we can use GPT-4, Claude, or even OpenAI-o1 as our “engine” within Perplexity, so we always get the model that fits our needs.

Caveats

  • Double-Check for Accuracy: Sometimes it mixes up similar names or pulls outdated info, so it’s good to cross-check important facts.

When I Use Perplexity: Anytime I’m in “research mode” or need up-to-date insights for blog posts, presentations, or meetings.

Finding the right LLM can be as simple as matching a tool’s strengths to your needs.

Our advice? Try out a few, and don’t hesitate to mix and match to get the best results.

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from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/which-llm-should-you-use

Choosing the right large language model can feel overwhelming with so many options out there, especially if you’re not exactly living and breathing AI

But as we’ve worked through each one, we’ve gotten a real sense of what they’re good at (and where they fall short).

So, let’s talk about what to use, when.

Download Now: 100 ChatGPT Prompts for Marketers [Free Guide]

ChatGPT & OpenAI-o1: The Reliable All-Rounders

Let’s start with ChatGPT and OpenAI-o1.

OpenAI’s latest model is impressive, and people are hyped about its “reasoning” abilities — basically, it’s designed to tackle more logic-heavy stuff alongside the creative tasks that ChatGPT has always been great at.

Why We Like It

  • Big on Logic: OpenAI-o1 uses something called chain-of-thought reasoning. In simpler terms, it’s better at walking through complex problems step by step.
  • Custom GPTs: This feature lets us create models that remember instructions specific to our work. If we need it to think like a project manager or a social media assistant, we can set that up with just a few clicks.

Where It Falls Short

  • Overkill for Basic Stuff: Most of the time, GPT-4 can get the job done. OpenAI-o1 shines with complex tasks, but you might not notice a huge difference for more straightforward use cases.
  • Not a Quantum Leap: The big improvements are behind the scenes. If you’re expecting to see massive changes in day-to-day use, you might be underwhelmed.

When to Use It: Anything involving more complex logic, or when you need tailored responses, like for coding or detailed content editing.

Claude by Anthropic: The Summarizer & Storytelling Champ

Claude is our go-to for summarizing and making sense of long documents.

It’s also fantastic at storytelling, which is helpful if you’re in content creation or need to simplify dense information.

What Makes It Stand Out

  • Document Summarization: Claude is amazing at boiling down information, so it’s perfect when we’ve got huge documents m and need a quick summary.
  • User-Friendly Customization: Anthropic’s Projects feature lets us set up custom instructions for repeat tasks. It feels more intuitive than ChatGPT’s setup.

What to Watch Out For

  • File Size Limits: If you upload a big file (over 20 MB), Claude sometimes throws a fit. We usually compress PDFs to work around this, but it’s worth knowing.

Best Use Case: Summarizing or creating content when you need a straightforward, reliable tool that’s easy to navigate.

Google Gemini: The King of Context (and Podcasting)

Google’s Gemini feels like it’s in a league of its own when it comes to handling tons of data.

We love that it has a massive context window, meaning it can hold and process entire books if needed. Plus, it has a quirky new tool called Notebook LM that turns docs into a mini-podcast for you.

Why It’s Cool

  • Handles Huge Data Loads: With a 10-million-word limit, Gemini can keep track of massive documents all at once, so we can load entire libraries if we need to.
  • Notebook LM: This feature actually turns documents into audio summaries in a conversational podcast format. It’s a great way to get the gist of something while multitasking.

Drawbacks

  • Limited Customization: While it has “Gems” (Google’s answer to custom GPTs), they’re pretty basic. You can’t connect it to other tools or APIs like you can with ChatGPT or Claude.

When to Turn to Gemini: When you need to process a mountain of data at once, or if you’re in the mood for an audio summary while I’m doing something else.

Llama by Meta: Privacy & Flexibility

Llama isn’t necessarily the most advanced, but because it’s open-source, it’s our go-to when privacy is a concern.

Unlike the others, Llama can run offline on your computer, so it doesn’t share data with a big tech company.

Why I’d Recommend It

  • Keeps Things Private: Since Llama runs locally, we can be sure our data stays off the internet.
  • Highly Customizable: Llama’s open-source, meaning we (or any developer) can modify it for unique needs. We don’t do this much, but it’s nice to know it’s an option.

Weak Spots

  • Not the Most Powerful: It’s not as good as Claude or ChatGPT for high-quality content or problem-solving. But for basic use cases, it’s solid.

When It Makes Sense to Use: Anytime privacy is key, like with sensitive internal data, or when you just need a quick local solution.

Grok by xAI: Twitter Data & Realistic Image Generation

Grok is a fun one — it’s a social media native, integrated with X (formerly Twitter).

It’s a decent model and comes with a strong image generator, Flux One, that can make super-realistic visuals. But where it really shines is pulling in Twitter data in real-time.

Why We Use It

  • Live Twitter Insights: Grok lets us see what’s trending or analyze popular Twitter profiles on the spot.
  • Image Generation: Flux One can create realistic images of people, scenes, and more, with few limits on topics.

Downsides

  • Niche Use Cases: It’s great for Twitter data and images but doesn’t stand out in general tasks like summarization or storytelling.

Ideal Use: Social media research and generating realistic visuals for content.

Perplexity: A Researcher’s Best Friend

Perplexity isn’t technically an LLM in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s an AI-powered research tool that pulls information from the internet and then uses a model to organize it.

It’s our go-to when I need quick, accurate information or a second opinion on a topic.

What Makes It Indispensable

  • Web Search Capabilities: Perplexity searches the web and summarizes content, making it perfect for research-heavy tasks.
  • Choose Your Model: we can use GPT-4, Claude, or even OpenAI-o1 as our “engine” within Perplexity, so we always get the model that fits our needs.

Caveats

  • Double-Check for Accuracy: Sometimes it mixes up similar names or pulls outdated info, so it’s good to cross-check important facts.

When I Use Perplexity: Anytime I’m in “research mode” or need up-to-date insights for blog posts, presentations, or meetings.

Finding the right LLM can be as simple as matching a tool’s strengths to your needs.

Our advice? Try out a few, and don’t hesitate to mix and match to get the best results.

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via Perfecte news Non connection

Why You Should Leverage Interactive Videos [Data from 500+ Marketers]

When it comes to video, we marketers often focus the conversation on short-form video — no surprise, given this can be the most engaging format. Regardless of length, for me personally, some of the most impactful marketing content I’ve seen has been in interactive videos.

Even though the medium can be traced back to the decades-old “Choose Your Own Adventure” board game format — I LOVED those games growing up — it still feels relatively novel in the marketing world. I wonder if that’s why we don’t see much interactive video marketing? In any case, I’d like to see more of it out there.

→ Access Now: Video Marketing Starter Pack [Free Kit]

If you’re curious, I’d love you to keep reading as I share what interactive video is, how to create one, and eight examples from brands that are really on the cutting edge of this format.

Table of Contents

You can use interactive videos for several purposes. Many marketers use it to increase engagement, encourage two-way communication, and boost conversions.

There are multiple types of interactive videos:

  • Branched stories. This allows viewers to choose their own path when watching a video and decide what they will watch. They can also determine the storyline through their decisions.
  • Hotspots. These clickable areas within a video allow viewers to discover something new in the content.
  • Polls and quizzes. You can engage your audience with questions related to the content in your video.
  • 360-degree view. This allows viewers to immerse themselves in the video and get an augmented reality experience.
  • Live videos and webinars with Q&A sections. This encourages a two-way dialogue between the host and the viewer where viewers can interact by asking questions and receiving answers in real-time.

Benefits of Interactive Videos

A 2024 Wyzowl report found that 91% of businesses use video within their marketing. Further, HubSpot surveyed over 500 global video marketers to learn more about 2024’s top strategies and opportunities in video marketing.

The result? Over 70% of survey respondents find video marketing effective in helping them reach their company’s broader business objectives.

Regarding interactive videos specifically, the biggest reason to use this format is the high return on investment — aka achieving a critical, but often illusive, business objective. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the data.

bar graph of effective versus ineffective video in marketing

Source

At 52%, HubSpot’s video marketing report revealed that interactive content offers the fourth-highest ROI. For context, this landed behind product-related, trendy, and funny videos at 66%, 55%, and 53%, respectively.

When it comes to lead generation, around 50% of video marketers place links to landing pages on video ads via social media. These links are typically added to interactive elements like buttons or swipe-ups. To top it off, marketers cite this as one of the most effective ways to generate leads via video content.

pull quote from article in interactive video roi

Interactive video is also one of the best performers on the engagement front. For example, live videos — where the audience is often invited to ask questions — are in the top three video types that get the most viewer engagement.

This video type can also leave a deeper impression on its viewers. With so many brands fighting for our attention, one way to keep them engaged longer is through interaction. Doing so can help your brand awareness and recognition, helping you stand out from the competition.

Lastly, you can gain more insight into your audience through interactive content. Say you include a quiz in your video. Not only do you get insights from the video itself (views, time watched, etc.), but you also learn more about your viewer’s preferences through quiz results.

So, through interactive video marketing, you get more data through a single piece of content.

How to Make an Interactive Video

According to Wyzowl, 89% of consumers want to see more videos from brands in 2024 and beyond.

Still, you know it, and I know it: As marketers, we must justify our creative efforts with results. One of the most significant results decision-makers want to see is a return on investment.

As I shared above, HubSpot data suggests interactive video content ranks highly for this metric. So, I wanted to share a few steps to help you make your own.

how to make an interactive video

1. Brainstorm your concept.

Before you create your interactive video, you have to build a concept. What will the video be about? What’s the journey you want to take viewers on?

Your marketing objectives should drive your answers to these questions. Otherwise, creating a successful concept that gains buy-in from stakeholders outside of marketing will be challenging.

Once you have that sorted out, how will you engage the audience? Given the various types of interactive content you can have, you’ll need to determine which one will work best.

Pro tip: Not sure what marketing objectives to choose for your video content? No worries. I suggest taking inspiration from video marketing pros. HubSpot data indicates that video marketers prioritize the following three metrics:

  • Increasing brand awareness and reaching new audiences (52%).
  • Increasing online engagement (38%).
  • Increasing revenue and sales (36%).

an example of marketing objectives to prioritize when making interactive video content

Source

2. Choose your video platform.

The platform you choose will depend on the type of content you’re creating and what you want to accomplish.

Popular interactive video platforms include:

If you’re running an interactive live video or webinar, consider platforms that support this format. For context, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn — all of which cater to live video — are the most widely used video marketing platforms. In fact, 90%, 86%, 79%, and 76% of video marketers trust these platforms, respectively (Wyzowl.)

Once you select the right platform, it’s all about putting the pieces together, creating a draft, reviewing it, and re-editing until you have a great final version.

Pro tip: Whether you’re a video pro or completely new to the medium, I highly recommend HubSpot’s Clip Creator. Clip Creator’s AI features allow you to transform text-based instructions into watermark-free professional videos in a few clicks.

3. Analyze results.

Once your video goes live, the hard work isn’t done. It’s now time to assess its performance.

During your concept phase, you ideally set some KPIs. If this is your first time creating an interactive video, use your other videos as a benchmark.

This way, you’ll know what numbers to expect and have a baseline to evaluate your results.

Pro tip: I recommend using A/B testing as part of your analysis. For context, around 30% of video marketers use A/B testing to compare video elements or structural changes.

Need help figuring out what to test? Around 26% experiment with the positioning or wording of CTAs. A further 21% compare the performance of different videos against one another.

8 Interactive Video Examples

If you need inspiration, I’ve gathered eight examples of interactive videos to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Mile 22

To promote the 2018 action movie "Mile 22," the marketing team behind the film created an immersive, interactive video that allowed users to choose their path and get snippets from the movie based on their selection.

This video is interesting because it doesn‘t rely on just the trailer to build excitement. It takes the viewer on the characters’ journey and gives them a peek into how things play out in the film.

What I like: I really like that this interactive video positions the viewer as the lead character. I found that the “point and click” style progression naturally engaged me throughout. I wanted to keep clicking to find out what happened next, and before I knew it, I had worked my way through what was essentially an entire movie trailer.

an example of an interactive video created to promote the film mile 22

Source

2. Sweet Digs

Usually, if you want to catch the latest episode of Sweet Digs, you head to YouTube. However, with the help of Eko, Refinery29 decided to switch things up with an interactive video instead.

Sweet Digs x eko: Interactive Home Tours

In this interactive video, viewers get a tour of someone's home, as usual, but this time, they get to make guesses as they watch about costs, designs, and more.

What I like: I think this video format is a great way to bring some freshness into an established series and keep viewers engaged. The show uses interactive elements cleverly, even allowing watchers to input design suggestions along the way. Then, at the end of the episode, viewers get to see if their design suggestions were used.

If interior design is an interest of yours, I can imagine this format would keep you entertained from start to finish.

3. Boursin

Ever wonder what a fridge full of Boursin products looks like? With this interactive video, you can. This brand reimagines what a food commercial looks like by offering viewers a 360 virtual experience through a fridge.

What I like: I love how the gold carpet guides viewers through the fridge. As a result, the viewer sees various Boursin products naturally placed throughout. I also love how the viewer can move the mouse to see other items in the fridge. I think this is a really fun way to advertise a product.

4. Mindstamp

The following interactive video created by Mindstamp is an example of a practical way to use this video format for appointment booking.

Viewers can interact with clickable in-video CTAs that link to external pages and explore branching storylines based on their responses throughout the video, resulting in a truly personalized user journey.

an example of an interactive video format used as a calendar booking tool.

Source

The interactive elements create an engaging and immersive experience. I don’t know about you, but “engaging” and “immersive” are not two words that I’d usually use in conjunction with booking a meeting or appointment!

What I like: Like all new technology, interactive video might have started as a sort of fringe technology that seemed slightly intimidating and inaccessible. Now, that's changing. I love to see this format used in a business setting like this, making it easier than ever for leads to book appointments based on specific calendar preferences.

5. Honda

Honda’s interactive video, “The Other Side,” uses interactive branching to create a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style of advertisement. Each video clip gives the viewer a different choice or “path,” and each choice determines what happens next.

What I like: I like how this video invites viewers to participate in the narrative and have ownership over the plotline rather than passively consuming content.

6. The Jungle Book Interactive Video

Ahead of its 2016 release, Disney partnered with Wirewax to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the live-action version of The Jungle Book was created. The video allows viewers to use a slider to compare the filming stage to the end scene.

interactive video showing the opening frame for jungle book’s interactive teaser

Source

What I like: Aside from an interactive slider, the video also uses hotspots. I love how Wirewax has incorporated this interactive feature. In this case, the hotspots allow viewers to open bonus content, including a profile and description of each character.

7. That Moment When

Eko makes the list again with its That Moment When interactive video series. The series follows a woman named Jill, who faces awkward moments at the start of each episode. Your job as the viewer is to help her survive each one.

an example of an interactive video where the viewer chooses the storyline.

Source

In the example pictured above, you need to help Jill navigate that time when she vaguely remembered someone who seemed to know her really well. The hilarious tagline is “Help Jill remember how she knows this guy and what his f***ing name is.”

What I like: I love how this show once again puts Eko at the forefront of interactive video. In Eko’s signature style, it’s relatable, hilarious, and incredibly engaging.

8. Dead Lonely

Dead Lonely is an interactive zombie romance created by Aardman Animations in partnership with Rapt Media. Anyone who enjoys the four-time Oscar-winning production studio Aardman Animations’ work will not be disappointed.

Like Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, and Shaun the Sheep, Dead Lonely is charming, quirky, and fun.

As for the premise, throughout the interactive film, the viewer is tasked with helping Fred (a zombie) reunite with his lost love, Barbara.

What I like: I love how creative this interactive video is. Even though the storyline seems innocent enough, plenty of morbid but fun moments keep viewers entertained. Overall, I think this is an example of something outside of marketing that could inspire creative content inside of marketing.

an example of an interactive animation where viewers choose the narrative.

Source

Stand out From the Crowd With Interactive Video Marketing

Our data reveals that interactive content is a leading video format for ROI, but as I mentioned in my introduction, many marketers remain tentative about producing interactive video content. That could be because certain types require more technical expertise and a bigger production budget.

Here’s the thing, though: Yes, you can get creative with this format, which typically demands more finance and tech-wise. But you can also do something as simple as adding an interactive poll or CTA to your video.

Let’s also not forget that live video streams can be interactive, providing you allow space for elements like audience questions and polls. Plus, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram readily support live streams, and you can start one on any of those platforms for free.

Either way, I think interactive video marketing is something to test out for yourself, especially with so few others doing so.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.



from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/is-interactive-video-the-next-big-thing

When it comes to video, we marketers often focus the conversation on short-form video — no surprise, given this can be the most engaging format. Regardless of length, for me personally, some of the most impactful marketing content I’ve seen has been in interactive videos.

Even though the medium can be traced back to the decades-old “Choose Your Own Adventure” board game format — I LOVED those games growing up — it still feels relatively novel in the marketing world. I wonder if that’s why we don’t see much interactive video marketing? In any case, I’d like to see more of it out there.

→ Access Now: Video Marketing Starter Pack [Free Kit]

If you’re curious, I’d love you to keep reading as I share what interactive video is, how to create one, and eight examples from brands that are really on the cutting edge of this format.

Table of Contents

You can use interactive videos for several purposes. Many marketers use it to increase engagement, encourage two-way communication, and boost conversions.

There are multiple types of interactive videos:

  • Branched stories. This allows viewers to choose their own path when watching a video and decide what they will watch. They can also determine the storyline through their decisions.
  • Hotspots. These clickable areas within a video allow viewers to discover something new in the content.
  • Polls and quizzes. You can engage your audience with questions related to the content in your video.
  • 360-degree view. This allows viewers to immerse themselves in the video and get an augmented reality experience.
  • Live videos and webinars with Q&A sections. This encourages a two-way dialogue between the host and the viewer where viewers can interact by asking questions and receiving answers in real-time.

Benefits of Interactive Videos

A 2024 Wyzowl report found that 91% of businesses use video within their marketing. Further, HubSpot surveyed over 500 global video marketers to learn more about 2024’s top strategies and opportunities in video marketing.

The result? Over 70% of survey respondents find video marketing effective in helping them reach their company’s broader business objectives.

Regarding interactive videos specifically, the biggest reason to use this format is the high return on investment — aka achieving a critical, but often illusive, business objective. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the data.

bar graph of effective versus ineffective video in marketing

Source

At 52%, HubSpot’s video marketing report revealed that interactive content offers the fourth-highest ROI. For context, this landed behind product-related, trendy, and funny videos at 66%, 55%, and 53%, respectively.

When it comes to lead generation, around 50% of video marketers place links to landing pages on video ads via social media. These links are typically added to interactive elements like buttons or swipe-ups. To top it off, marketers cite this as one of the most effective ways to generate leads via video content.

pull quote from article in interactive video roi

Interactive video is also one of the best performers on the engagement front. For example, live videos — where the audience is often invited to ask questions — are in the top three video types that get the most viewer engagement.

This video type can also leave a deeper impression on its viewers. With so many brands fighting for our attention, one way to keep them engaged longer is through interaction. Doing so can help your brand awareness and recognition, helping you stand out from the competition.

Lastly, you can gain more insight into your audience through interactive content. Say you include a quiz in your video. Not only do you get insights from the video itself (views, time watched, etc.), but you also learn more about your viewer’s preferences through quiz results.

So, through interactive video marketing, you get more data through a single piece of content.

How to Make an Interactive Video

According to Wyzowl, 89% of consumers want to see more videos from brands in 2024 and beyond.

Still, you know it, and I know it: As marketers, we must justify our creative efforts with results. One of the most significant results decision-makers want to see is a return on investment.

As I shared above, HubSpot data suggests interactive video content ranks highly for this metric. So, I wanted to share a few steps to help you make your own.

how to make an interactive video

1. Brainstorm your concept.

Before you create your interactive video, you have to build a concept. What will the video be about? What’s the journey you want to take viewers on?

Your marketing objectives should drive your answers to these questions. Otherwise, creating a successful concept that gains buy-in from stakeholders outside of marketing will be challenging.

Once you have that sorted out, how will you engage the audience? Given the various types of interactive content you can have, you’ll need to determine which one will work best.

Pro tip: Not sure what marketing objectives to choose for your video content? No worries. I suggest taking inspiration from video marketing pros. HubSpot data indicates that video marketers prioritize the following three metrics:

  • Increasing brand awareness and reaching new audiences (52%).
  • Increasing online engagement (38%).
  • Increasing revenue and sales (36%).

an example of marketing objectives to prioritize when making interactive video content

Source

2. Choose your video platform.

The platform you choose will depend on the type of content you’re creating and what you want to accomplish.

Popular interactive video platforms include:

If you’re running an interactive live video or webinar, consider platforms that support this format. For context, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn — all of which cater to live video — are the most widely used video marketing platforms. In fact, 90%, 86%, 79%, and 76% of video marketers trust these platforms, respectively (Wyzowl.)

Once you select the right platform, it’s all about putting the pieces together, creating a draft, reviewing it, and re-editing until you have a great final version.

Pro tip: Whether you’re a video pro or completely new to the medium, I highly recommend HubSpot’s Clip Creator. Clip Creator’s AI features allow you to transform text-based instructions into watermark-free professional videos in a few clicks.

3. Analyze results.

Once your video goes live, the hard work isn’t done. It’s now time to assess its performance.

During your concept phase, you ideally set some KPIs. If this is your first time creating an interactive video, use your other videos as a benchmark.

This way, you’ll know what numbers to expect and have a baseline to evaluate your results.

Pro tip: I recommend using A/B testing as part of your analysis. For context, around 30% of video marketers use A/B testing to compare video elements or structural changes.

Need help figuring out what to test? Around 26% experiment with the positioning or wording of CTAs. A further 21% compare the performance of different videos against one another.

8 Interactive Video Examples

If you need inspiration, I’ve gathered eight examples of interactive videos to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Mile 22

To promote the 2018 action movie "Mile 22," the marketing team behind the film created an immersive, interactive video that allowed users to choose their path and get snippets from the movie based on their selection.

This video is interesting because it doesn‘t rely on just the trailer to build excitement. It takes the viewer on the characters’ journey and gives them a peek into how things play out in the film.

What I like: I really like that this interactive video positions the viewer as the lead character. I found that the “point and click” style progression naturally engaged me throughout. I wanted to keep clicking to find out what happened next, and before I knew it, I had worked my way through what was essentially an entire movie trailer.

an example of an interactive video created to promote the film mile 22

Source

2. Sweet Digs

Usually, if you want to catch the latest episode of Sweet Digs, you head to YouTube. However, with the help of Eko, Refinery29 decided to switch things up with an interactive video instead.

Sweet Digs x eko: Interactive Home Tours

In this interactive video, viewers get a tour of someone's home, as usual, but this time, they get to make guesses as they watch about costs, designs, and more.

What I like: I think this video format is a great way to bring some freshness into an established series and keep viewers engaged. The show uses interactive elements cleverly, even allowing watchers to input design suggestions along the way. Then, at the end of the episode, viewers get to see if their design suggestions were used.

If interior design is an interest of yours, I can imagine this format would keep you entertained from start to finish.

3. Boursin

Ever wonder what a fridge full of Boursin products looks like? With this interactive video, you can. This brand reimagines what a food commercial looks like by offering viewers a 360 virtual experience through a fridge.

What I like: I love how the gold carpet guides viewers through the fridge. As a result, the viewer sees various Boursin products naturally placed throughout. I also love how the viewer can move the mouse to see other items in the fridge. I think this is a really fun way to advertise a product.

4. Mindstamp

The following interactive video created by Mindstamp is an example of a practical way to use this video format for appointment booking.

Viewers can interact with clickable in-video CTAs that link to external pages and explore branching storylines based on their responses throughout the video, resulting in a truly personalized user journey.

an example of an interactive video format used as a calendar booking tool.

Source

The interactive elements create an engaging and immersive experience. I don’t know about you, but “engaging” and “immersive” are not two words that I’d usually use in conjunction with booking a meeting or appointment!

What I like: Like all new technology, interactive video might have started as a sort of fringe technology that seemed slightly intimidating and inaccessible. Now, that's changing. I love to see this format used in a business setting like this, making it easier than ever for leads to book appointments based on specific calendar preferences.

5. Honda

Honda’s interactive video, “The Other Side,” uses interactive branching to create a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style of advertisement. Each video clip gives the viewer a different choice or “path,” and each choice determines what happens next.

What I like: I like how this video invites viewers to participate in the narrative and have ownership over the plotline rather than passively consuming content.

6. The Jungle Book Interactive Video

Ahead of its 2016 release, Disney partnered with Wirewax to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the live-action version of The Jungle Book was created. The video allows viewers to use a slider to compare the filming stage to the end scene.

interactive video showing the opening frame for jungle book’s interactive teaser

Source

What I like: Aside from an interactive slider, the video also uses hotspots. I love how Wirewax has incorporated this interactive feature. In this case, the hotspots allow viewers to open bonus content, including a profile and description of each character.

7. That Moment When

Eko makes the list again with its That Moment When interactive video series. The series follows a woman named Jill, who faces awkward moments at the start of each episode. Your job as the viewer is to help her survive each one.

an example of an interactive video where the viewer chooses the storyline.

Source

In the example pictured above, you need to help Jill navigate that time when she vaguely remembered someone who seemed to know her really well. The hilarious tagline is “Help Jill remember how she knows this guy and what his f***ing name is.”

What I like: I love how this show once again puts Eko at the forefront of interactive video. In Eko’s signature style, it’s relatable, hilarious, and incredibly engaging.

8. Dead Lonely

Dead Lonely is an interactive zombie romance created by Aardman Animations in partnership with Rapt Media. Anyone who enjoys the four-time Oscar-winning production studio Aardman Animations’ work will not be disappointed.

Like Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, and Shaun the Sheep, Dead Lonely is charming, quirky, and fun.

As for the premise, throughout the interactive film, the viewer is tasked with helping Fred (a zombie) reunite with his lost love, Barbara.

What I like: I love how creative this interactive video is. Even though the storyline seems innocent enough, plenty of morbid but fun moments keep viewers entertained. Overall, I think this is an example of something outside of marketing that could inspire creative content inside of marketing.

an example of an interactive animation where viewers choose the narrative.

Source

Stand out From the Crowd With Interactive Video Marketing

Our data reveals that interactive content is a leading video format for ROI, but as I mentioned in my introduction, many marketers remain tentative about producing interactive video content. That could be because certain types require more technical expertise and a bigger production budget.

Here’s the thing, though: Yes, you can get creative with this format, which typically demands more finance and tech-wise. But you can also do something as simple as adding an interactive poll or CTA to your video.

Let’s also not forget that live video streams can be interactive, providing you allow space for elements like audience questions and polls. Plus, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram readily support live streams, and you can start one on any of those platforms for free.

Either way, I think interactive video marketing is something to test out for yourself, especially with so few others doing so.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

via Perfecte news Non connection

lunes, 17 de febrero de 2025

The Sustainability Mandate: How Sustainable Marketing Drives Customer Loyalty & Other Proven Benefits

Consumers increasingly care about sustainability, and sustainable marketing practices are your vehicle for connection.

Consumers value sustainability so much they’re willing to pay 9.7% more for sustainable products. HubSpot’s State of Consumer Trends report also found that buyers take a company’s environmental impact, DEI commitment, and ethical production practices when purchasing from a company.

Download Now: The State of U.S. Consumer Trends [Free Report]

But here’s a critical point: sustainability and sustainable marketing are not about trying to make a quick buck. Brands must weave sustainability into their marketing transparently and avoid greenwashing. We’ll cover that and more below.

Table of Contents

To help cover the topic of sustainable marketing, I reached out to the most conscious, sustainable marketer I know: Megan Thudium.

In her words, Thudium aims to “transform marketing to be people and planet first, then profit.” She strives to “create a better world for humanity, to create a better future for everyone that has more breathable air, equal opportunities in prosperity, and time for things that you love the most.”

Thudium commits to sustainable practices in her personal life, opting for overland travel instead of short-haul flights. This includes 12-hour train journeys from London to Berlin for a sustainability conference. Thudium maximizes her travel by combining multiple events to get the most out of longer train travel.

Professionally, Thudium is all about honest and ethical communication. She received a certificate from The University of Cambridge: Institute for Sustainability Leadership for Sustainable Marketing, Media and Creative. This year, she launched her new business, Content for Good & Co., a brand evolution from her already sustainable marketing practices that is now living and breathing sustainability in every way possible.

Progressive brands are bringing sustainability to the forefront of their marketing practices. So, how does a brand leverage sustainable marketing to appeal to a growing, socially conscious audience? Well, with Thudium’s help, let’s dive in.

Green Marketing vs. Sustainable Marketing

While both terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between green marketing and sustainability marketing. Green marketing focuses on strategies that promote environmental awareness and protection. Sustainable marketing, on the other hand, is a little broader.

The definition of sustainable marketing, according to the University of Cambridge, is “a purpose-driven practice that works to orientate businesses, brands, and society towards a sustainable future.”

The university notes that this type of marketing involves influencing awareness, adoption, and action across “economic and sociocultural systems” by taking accountability for a company’s impact. The goal is “long-term well-being for all.”

According to Thudium, sustainable marketing is more comprehensive and addresses the social and environmental impact of marketing.

She continues, “It’s also more holistic about transforming the discipline of marketing into a force for good, for example, using marketing to encourage positive behavioral change, such as sustainable living habits, that benefits people and the planet. It also addresses reducing the carbon footprint of your marketing activities, such as events and websites.”

Sustainable marketing encompasses green marketing, but it also includes practices that go beyond the environment, such as social and economic issues.

Sustainable Marketing Principles

As you build sustainability into the DNA of your brand and marketing strategies, it’s important to know which approach to take.

Thudium says, “Sustainable marketing … argues that the industry must evolve from one that manipulates customer behaviors and champions endless growth without considering the social and environmental constraints of our planet and society.

Thudium notes that clever sustainable marketers are innovative and creative. They take on this challenge to use marketing as a force for good.

Familiarize yourself with these three core sustainable marketing principles, which I’ll explain below.

1. Customer-Value Marketing

You can earn customer loyalty by designing products, services, and marketing strategies that align with customer values. For sustainable marketing, this often means highlighting eco-friendly attributes, values like diversity and inclusion, or the long-term benefits of sustainable products.

2. Sustainable Pricing Strategies

This principle involves educating customers about the full life-cycle costs to create a sustainable product, including sourcing and downstream costs of re-use and recycling. The right education and messaging can convince customers that the benefits are worth paying more for.

3. Societal Benefit Marketing

Also called societal marketing, societal benefit marketing emphasizes the long-term benefits to society beyond a company’s profit or the immediate benefit to the consumer.

For instance, Ben & Jerry’s positions its marketing around its three core values: human rights and dignity, social and economic justice, and the environment. “We believe ice cream can change the world,” they state. Then, they back those principles up with action.

ben & jerry’s sustainability marketing is outlined on the website, as in the screenshot attached, and supported by evidence.

Source

Do customers care about sustainability? [New Data]

The importance of sustainability in marketing and business is rising.

Thudium says, “Consumers, government and regulation, and investors are demanding more sustainable and ethical business practices from companies.”

While once seen as a luxury or niche tactic, sustainability has gained traction as a mainstream, cross-generational preference. In a world where I can buy the same product from dozens of online sellers, I look for one that’s local, that supports fair trade, or that supports a cause or charity I like.

In 2024, HubSpot surveyed over 700 consumers to learn about their shopping habits. Here’s what was found:

  • 76% believe companies should try to improve the well-being of their employees.
  • 64% believe companies should actively reduce their environmental impact.
  • 58% believe companies should donate a portion of their profits to charity.
  • 55% believe companies should advocate for racial justice and gender equality.
  • 50% believe companies should do more to advocate for social issues, with the top issues being affordable healthcare (47%), climate change (35%), and income inequality (35%).

These values are reflected in consumers' purchasing decisions, especially for younger generations. While only 5% of Boomers say a brand’s environmental impact is a top purchasing factor for them, that jumps to 16% for Gen Z.

The difference is even starker for a company’s charity support and employee well-being.

So, to answer the question posed at the beginning of this question: Yes, consumers of all ages care about sustainability. Even if your brand isn’t rooted in this mission, you will still find value in investing time and resources in sustainable practices and marketing to attract more customers.

Learn more about consumers in our latest State of Consumer Trends report.

1. Have a larger purpose.

Brands typically judge their success by the numbers. How much revenue they have or will generate in any given period is usually the biggest KPI.

Sustainability shifts this perspective by having brands evaluate themselves by something other than profit. Bcorps operates in this way.

To quote B Lab U.K., “Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.”

Thudium mentions the “triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. The movement that businesses need to take for future stability.”

As a brand, you have to promote something that’s bigger than your products and services and transcends any particular industry. “Do you have a clear social mission? If not, spend time discovering what that is and how your brand plays a role in furthering that mission,” Thudium says.

For example, Social Pantry, an independent and sustainable catering brand, makes sustainability part of everything they do.

The brand recently became B Corp Certified, and its commitment to sustainability goes beyond marketing messaging and into the operations and all that comes with running a sustainable business.

Social Pantry’s actions are guided by the change they want to see in the world

  • Investing in circular economies.
  • Developing sustainable business practices.
  • Committing to long-term initiatives that will positively impact future generations.

Alongside being an industry leader in prison leaver employment, they champion suppliers using regenerative farming practices, prioritize purchasing locally sourced food for their catering, and operate zero-to-landfill kitchens.

I spoke to Marketing Director Charlotte Lund-Morgan and asked how Social Pantry has adapted to become seamlessly rooted in sustainability.

Lund-Morgan says, “It’s always been important to us to act as a thought leader. For us, this means not just taking steps to tackle social and environmental issues but [also] ensuring that our brand mission is always clear and consistent so that we can inspire other businesses to do the same.”

screenshot from sustainable business and sustainability marketing leaders, social pantry, shows how marketing messaging is woven into the website.

Source

2. Think long term.

Sustainability marketing is all about building long-term value. Too often, brands focus on gaining immediate results.

For instance, many marketing tactics like running Google Ads and blogging are great lead generators. However, what happens once your lead has made a purchase and turned into a customer? Sustainable marketing looks at ways to nurture and educate consumers during the entire buyer’s journey.

Sustainability initiatives — like replacing styrofoam with paper or reducing your carbon footprint — can take years to implement. Releasing sustainability plans and updating customers on your progress go a long way in building trust, but they won’t yield immediate, attributable growth.

Education is one way to build loyalty with your audience early on, from the first point of discovery to post-purchase. For instance, a food brand could educate its audience on the importance of ethical farming on social media and continue this process post-purchase with package recycling tips.

This works well to build trust and loyalty in the long term. There is a strong correlation between consumer preference for sustainable practices and consumer preference for buying from brands they already know and trust.

Moreover, the data is nuanced. From their research, First Insight credits Gen Z as being a sustainable generation.

Some industries are more likely to inspire sustainable-driven purchases within different age ranges. For example, only 4% of people aged 65 and over will buy sustainable bags, compared to 21% of those age 21.

The food industry is where people are collectively most motivated to buy sustainably. For the younger generation, clothing is the top choice for sustainable purchases. Data is shown in the infographic below.

infographic shows products people are likely to buy from sustainable brands by age. this data should encourage sustainable marketing practices if sustainable values drive brands.

Source

Marketer Megan Thudium agrees that the shift to sustainability takes time. She says, “Sustainability is a journey and will take years to implement. There is no finish line but continued learning and growth to become a better company that aligns better with society‘s and the planet’s needs.”

3. Communicate

Communicating your sustainability commitments is a must. Thudium says, “Consumers, government, and regulation are demanding more sustainable and ethical business practices from companies. Investors are also demanding companies have a sustainability strategy to receive funding.”

That means there’s more pressure for businesses to reduce their emissions and become more sustainable, according to Thudium. However, it must be done authentically, honestly, and verifiable.

“Communicating your sustainability needs to move past being another differentiation factor. Yes, that is a benefit for business growth,” Thudium says.

“Yes, it's the right thing to do — but more so, it reduces long-term risk for companies. It makes them more desirable to employees and talent. It keeps them regulatory compliant without fines.”

4. Be customer oriented.

You might be thinking, “Isn’t being consumer-oriented what all marketing is?” Ideally, yes, but not always.

In traditional marketing, a brand often tries to push a product or service to a customer. With consumer-oriented marketing, it’s more about understanding your customers’ needs and tailoring your marketing to that.

First, leverage user research to find out what’s important to your customers. For instance, say your audience is craving more transparency in your sourcing practices or wants you to be more vocal on social issues.

You could use that information for your next campaign or even pivot your business practices to differentiate yourselves from everyone else in your space.

Thudium adds, “You can also expect cost savings from sustainable practices, less cost in acquiring new customers.”

5. Back up your claims.

Thudium warns that sustainability marketing doesn’t work if it’s not “honest, authentic, and backed by verifiable evidence.”

Imagine finding out a business that claims to be sustainable has failed to implement any practices to promote its mission. Consumers would distrust that brand, and it would be difficult to earn it back.

Make sure your brand is looking at sustainability from a holistic lens.

Are you preaching about sustainability but using unsustainable resources to build your product? Are you collaborating with brands that conflict with your mission? Is your team representative of the future you want to promote?

These are the questions you should ask to determine if your brand reflects the mission you’ve set out to achieve. Identify the areas that need work and go to the drawing board to figure out strategies that align with your mission.

Audiences don’t expect perfection. They do, however, value transparency. It’s okay (and recommended) to share where you currently fall short and how you plan to remedy these issues.

Thudium is a huge advocate for backing up claims. She says, “Backing up your claims is all about honesty, transparency, and verifiable claims … If your claims aren‘t verifiable, then it’s greenwashing.”

Thudium notes that could have dire consequences, especially in countries where greenwashing is against the law.

6. Engage stakeholders.

Since sustainability requires real change instead of shallow value-signaling, it takes collaboration. Sustainability is a big effort, and it requires leadership outside of marketing. Engage internal teams, shareholders, supplies, and community partners in conversations and research around sustainability.

In some cases, your organizational structure may make sustainable practices difficult, like getting buy-in for a more expensive but more sustainable supplier when a company has a mandate to increase profit.

Smaller companies can consider re-organizing as a benefit corporation or achieving B Corp status to formalize their sustainability commitments.

7. Go against the grain and be brave.

In marketing, it can seem like everyone’s playing a game of copycat, using the same promotions and tactics over and over again. Posting on social media about Earth Day or International Women’s Day, for instance, is a good practice but won’t stand out against the thousands of other brand posts.

Thudium encourages everyone to “go against the grain and be brave.” She says, “Use sustainable marketing campaigns to change consumer behavior for good and promote sustainable practices in everyday life.”

Breaking with your industry runs a risk of failure — but it could also pay off in a big way. Take the outdoor brand REI, for instance. When Black Friday sales reached a peak fever pitch, the brand shocked the public by closing its stores that day and instead encouraging people to #OptOutside.

While it loses in-store revenue each year on that day, it gains loyalty from its members and employees who would rather spend time outside than in a store.

Source

Sustainable Marketing Examples

Need some inspiration for how to market your sustainability practices? Learn from these six brands who belong in the sustainability hall of fame.

1. The Woolmark Company

A recent Woolmark company campaign aimed to encourage people to see the benefits of wool-based clothing and stop buying fast fashion.

Thudium describes why the campaign is important. She says, “Wool is healthier for your body, biodegradable, and can be ethically sourced.”

When asked why the campaign was effective, Thudium says the campaign has

  • Strong messaging about fashion waste.
  • Encourages the benefits of wool fibers.
  • Verifiable claims.

2. Thinx

Thinx is an underwear brand whose mission is to provide sustainable solutions to menstruation and incontinence. Everything the brand puts out marketing-wise is centered around this core value.

Source

The brand’s social media pages feature a mix of product promotion, educational content, and mission-focused announcements.

The key to sustainable marketing is doing it in an authentic way that feels embedded in the brand, as opposed to an add-on that’s leveraged when convenient. Thinx is a great example of how to do it right.

Pro tip: You can manage your brand’s content with a tool like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, which will help you measure and optimize all of your content efficiently.

3. Kind Socks

This clothing company was started based on the founder’s desire to find a socks company with a sustainable and ethical vision. While most brands focus on inviting their consumers to purchase, Kind Socks takes the exact opposite approach: Asking them to spend less and more thoughtfully.

Source

This strategy may seem counterintuitive to many companies, but emphasizing the brand’s mission can help build trust with its audience and increase brand loyalty.

4. Pangaia

Materials science company Pangaia wants to save the environment. Every piece of marketing the brand puts out is centered around this core mission, including this video campaign.

In it, the brand explains its mission to “reverse the cycle from the unnatural to natural, from plastic to plants […], from the new to the recycled.” What’s effective about this ad is that Pangaia describes the future it wants to see and outlines the strategies it will implement to get there.

Throughout the ad, you see Pangaia products, but they’re not the focus. This tells viewers the mission drives the products, not the other way around — and that’s sustainable marketing done right.

5. Nada Duele

In the previous section, we discussed the importance of having a holistic approach to sustainability marketing. With Nada Duele, their mission is reflected in everything: from their name, which represents the idea that products should not cause harm, to the initiatives they take part in.

nada duele sustainable marketing example. they use their about page to market their sustainable values.

Source

When you visit their “How We Work” section, you learn about their collaboration with a Guatemalan institute dedicated to protecting the forestry sector.

Pro tip: It’s important that the partnerships your brand takes on align with your values. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility and trust.

6. Satya + Sage

Social media is one of the best and easiest ways to implement a sustainable marketing strategy. You can share a range of content, from educating your followers on sustainable practices to sharing ways your brand is being sustainable.

In this example, the candle company Satya + Sage shares tips on how to use the seed paper that comes with every candle.

Source

Pro tip: On social media, in particular, pay attention to the questions your followers ask and the comments they make, as that can inform which marketing strategies you test in the future.

Sustainable Marketing and AI

As companies rush to explore how to integrate AI into every area of their business (including marketing!), it’s important to slow down and consider the holistic impacts. AI has the potential to reduce waste and the human footprint by performing tasks more efficiently, but the ripple effects are much wider.

Consider these facts and questions as you go about integrating AI:

  • Carbon footprint of AI. Training and running an AI system requires a huge amount of computing power and electricity, increasing CO2 emissions. According to an MIT report, the data center power requirement in North America nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023 — outpacing the demand of over 70% of countries.
  • Bias in AI systems. It’s well-documented that AI systems can replicate bias. For example, according to IBM, when asked to show images of doctors, the AI shows men; for nurses, it shows women. If you are integrating AI to interact with customers or creating marketing content with AI, consider the potential effects of bias.
  • Employee impacts. Our survey revealed that customers are paying attention to how companies treat their employees. As companies replace some functions like customer service with automation, think about your affected employees. Can you reskill them for new AI jobs or support them through a career transition?

While AI can have some negative impacts, it also has the potential to help you reach your sustainability goals.

For instance, you can build a model to analyze your systems and suggest ways to reduce your carbon footprint by optimizing your supply chain. You can also leverage an AI chatbot to educate customers on sustainable practices.

Is marketing with AI more sustainable?

I can’t give you a definite answer for whether leveraging AI is more sustainable for your brand. It really comes down to the sustainability priorities that you’ve identified and whether AI helps or hurts those.

Take Dove's beauty brand, for example. One of their longtime values has been recognizing real beauty and showing authentic women’s bodies.

In 2023, Dove released an ad campaign declaring that it would never use AI-generated women in ads because it would run counter to its values of elevating real beauty.

Source

While Dove may integrate AI in other ways internally, they realized it was important to state how they wouldn’t use it.

The truth is, AI hasn’t been around long enough for us to truly understand the sustainability implications (the good or the bad). I wanted to understand the reasons why AI is considered unsustainable and how marketers can make the best of it in the most sustainable way possible.

Here’s what I found.

Adam Zewe, writer at MIT News, shares some of the reasons why AI isn’t environmentally friendly. In his article, Explained: Generative AI’s environmental impact, Zewe. Amongst other reasons, he cites:

  • OpenAI’s GPT-4 demands a staggering amount of electricity.
  • Increased demand for hardware, which has indirect environmental impacts (manufacturing and transport, for example).
  • Increased demand for water to cool data centers, which can strain municipal water.

There’s more, but these three stood out to me.

It’s tricky for conscientious sustainable marketers who want to be all things sustainable, while keeping up to date with an ever-growing digital world which demands use of the latest technology.

For balance, I wanted to look into the ways in which GenAI can be used sustainably. Shengyuan Su, sustainability director at Zendesk, shares tips for sustainable AI usage.

My favorite tip: “Use existing models and trained datasets whenever possible: Developing, training, and deploying new models requires additional energy and risk contributing to carbon emissions.”

For me, this seemed like a solid tip. We can use AI that is already fit for purpose, instead of spending hours training new models all the time. If the AI dataset is there already, then using is reduces energy and carbon emissions.

Engage Customers with Sustainable Marketing

From DEI to environmental impact, it’s clear to me that customers are starting to care more about where their products come from and the people behind them.

My main takeaway for you is this: Sustainable marketing isn’t just a box to tick off, it’s a whole-company practice and a cultural shift. It’s a long-term strategy that wins trust, loyalty, and customers over time.

As you consider new factors like AI in marketing and climate change, stay close to your customers to hear what they want to see from your brand.

Above all, customers value transparency and want to hear about your journey, even if you haven’t reached your goals yet. So don’t be afraid to start small and bring your customers along with you on the journey.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in September 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.



from Marketing https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sustainable-marketing

Consumers increasingly care about sustainability, and sustainable marketing practices are your vehicle for connection.

Consumers value sustainability so much they’re willing to pay 9.7% more for sustainable products. HubSpot’s State of Consumer Trends report also found that buyers take a company’s environmental impact, DEI commitment, and ethical production practices when purchasing from a company.

Download Now: The State of U.S. Consumer Trends [Free Report]

But here’s a critical point: sustainability and sustainable marketing are not about trying to make a quick buck. Brands must weave sustainability into their marketing transparently and avoid greenwashing. We’ll cover that and more below.

Table of Contents

To help cover the topic of sustainable marketing, I reached out to the most conscious, sustainable marketer I know: Megan Thudium.

In her words, Thudium aims to “transform marketing to be people and planet first, then profit.” She strives to “create a better world for humanity, to create a better future for everyone that has more breathable air, equal opportunities in prosperity, and time for things that you love the most.”

Thudium commits to sustainable practices in her personal life, opting for overland travel instead of short-haul flights. This includes 12-hour train journeys from London to Berlin for a sustainability conference. Thudium maximizes her travel by combining multiple events to get the most out of longer train travel.

Professionally, Thudium is all about honest and ethical communication. She received a certificate from The University of Cambridge: Institute for Sustainability Leadership for Sustainable Marketing, Media and Creative. This year, she launched her new business, Content for Good & Co., a brand evolution from her already sustainable marketing practices that is now living and breathing sustainability in every way possible.

Progressive brands are bringing sustainability to the forefront of their marketing practices. So, how does a brand leverage sustainable marketing to appeal to a growing, socially conscious audience? Well, with Thudium’s help, let’s dive in.

Green Marketing vs. Sustainable Marketing

While both terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between green marketing and sustainability marketing. Green marketing focuses on strategies that promote environmental awareness and protection. Sustainable marketing, on the other hand, is a little broader.

The definition of sustainable marketing, according to the University of Cambridge, is “a purpose-driven practice that works to orientate businesses, brands, and society towards a sustainable future.”

The university notes that this type of marketing involves influencing awareness, adoption, and action across “economic and sociocultural systems” by taking accountability for a company’s impact. The goal is “long-term well-being for all.”

According to Thudium, sustainable marketing is more comprehensive and addresses the social and environmental impact of marketing.

She continues, “It’s also more holistic about transforming the discipline of marketing into a force for good, for example, using marketing to encourage positive behavioral change, such as sustainable living habits, that benefits people and the planet. It also addresses reducing the carbon footprint of your marketing activities, such as events and websites.”

Sustainable marketing encompasses green marketing, but it also includes practices that go beyond the environment, such as social and economic issues.

Sustainable Marketing Principles

As you build sustainability into the DNA of your brand and marketing strategies, it’s important to know which approach to take.

Thudium says, “Sustainable marketing … argues that the industry must evolve from one that manipulates customer behaviors and champions endless growth without considering the social and environmental constraints of our planet and society.

Thudium notes that clever sustainable marketers are innovative and creative. They take on this challenge to use marketing as a force for good.

Familiarize yourself with these three core sustainable marketing principles, which I’ll explain below.

1. Customer-Value Marketing

You can earn customer loyalty by designing products, services, and marketing strategies that align with customer values. For sustainable marketing, this often means highlighting eco-friendly attributes, values like diversity and inclusion, or the long-term benefits of sustainable products.

2. Sustainable Pricing Strategies

This principle involves educating customers about the full life-cycle costs to create a sustainable product, including sourcing and downstream costs of re-use and recycling. The right education and messaging can convince customers that the benefits are worth paying more for.

3. Societal Benefit Marketing

Also called societal marketing, societal benefit marketing emphasizes the long-term benefits to society beyond a company’s profit or the immediate benefit to the consumer.

For instance, Ben & Jerry’s positions its marketing around its three core values: human rights and dignity, social and economic justice, and the environment. “We believe ice cream can change the world,” they state. Then, they back those principles up with action.

ben & jerry’s sustainability marketing is outlined on the website, as in the screenshot attached, and supported by evidence.

Source

Do customers care about sustainability? [New Data]

The importance of sustainability in marketing and business is rising.

Thudium says, “Consumers, government and regulation, and investors are demanding more sustainable and ethical business practices from companies.”

While once seen as a luxury or niche tactic, sustainability has gained traction as a mainstream, cross-generational preference. In a world where I can buy the same product from dozens of online sellers, I look for one that’s local, that supports fair trade, or that supports a cause or charity I like.

In 2024, HubSpot surveyed over 700 consumers to learn about their shopping habits. Here’s what was found:

  • 76% believe companies should try to improve the well-being of their employees.
  • 64% believe companies should actively reduce their environmental impact.
  • 58% believe companies should donate a portion of their profits to charity.
  • 55% believe companies should advocate for racial justice and gender equality.
  • 50% believe companies should do more to advocate for social issues, with the top issues being affordable healthcare (47%), climate change (35%), and income inequality (35%).

These values are reflected in consumers' purchasing decisions, especially for younger generations. While only 5% of Boomers say a brand’s environmental impact is a top purchasing factor for them, that jumps to 16% for Gen Z.

The difference is even starker for a company’s charity support and employee well-being.

So, to answer the question posed at the beginning of this question: Yes, consumers of all ages care about sustainability. Even if your brand isn’t rooted in this mission, you will still find value in investing time and resources in sustainable practices and marketing to attract more customers.

Learn more about consumers in our latest State of Consumer Trends report.

1. Have a larger purpose.

Brands typically judge their success by the numbers. How much revenue they have or will generate in any given period is usually the biggest KPI.

Sustainability shifts this perspective by having brands evaluate themselves by something other than profit. Bcorps operates in this way.

To quote B Lab U.K., “Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.”

Thudium mentions the “triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. The movement that businesses need to take for future stability.”

As a brand, you have to promote something that’s bigger than your products and services and transcends any particular industry. “Do you have a clear social mission? If not, spend time discovering what that is and how your brand plays a role in furthering that mission,” Thudium says.

For example, Social Pantry, an independent and sustainable catering brand, makes sustainability part of everything they do.

The brand recently became B Corp Certified, and its commitment to sustainability goes beyond marketing messaging and into the operations and all that comes with running a sustainable business.

Social Pantry’s actions are guided by the change they want to see in the world

  • Investing in circular economies.
  • Developing sustainable business practices.
  • Committing to long-term initiatives that will positively impact future generations.

Alongside being an industry leader in prison leaver employment, they champion suppliers using regenerative farming practices, prioritize purchasing locally sourced food for their catering, and operate zero-to-landfill kitchens.

I spoke to Marketing Director Charlotte Lund-Morgan and asked how Social Pantry has adapted to become seamlessly rooted in sustainability.

Lund-Morgan says, “It’s always been important to us to act as a thought leader. For us, this means not just taking steps to tackle social and environmental issues but [also] ensuring that our brand mission is always clear and consistent so that we can inspire other businesses to do the same.”

screenshot from sustainable business and sustainability marketing leaders, social pantry, shows how marketing messaging is woven into the website.

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2. Think long term.

Sustainability marketing is all about building long-term value. Too often, brands focus on gaining immediate results.

For instance, many marketing tactics like running Google Ads and blogging are great lead generators. However, what happens once your lead has made a purchase and turned into a customer? Sustainable marketing looks at ways to nurture and educate consumers during the entire buyer’s journey.

Sustainability initiatives — like replacing styrofoam with paper or reducing your carbon footprint — can take years to implement. Releasing sustainability plans and updating customers on your progress go a long way in building trust, but they won’t yield immediate, attributable growth.

Education is one way to build loyalty with your audience early on, from the first point of discovery to post-purchase. For instance, a food brand could educate its audience on the importance of ethical farming on social media and continue this process post-purchase with package recycling tips.

This works well to build trust and loyalty in the long term. There is a strong correlation between consumer preference for sustainable practices and consumer preference for buying from brands they already know and trust.

Moreover, the data is nuanced. From their research, First Insight credits Gen Z as being a sustainable generation.

Some industries are more likely to inspire sustainable-driven purchases within different age ranges. For example, only 4% of people aged 65 and over will buy sustainable bags, compared to 21% of those age 21.

The food industry is where people are collectively most motivated to buy sustainably. For the younger generation, clothing is the top choice for sustainable purchases. Data is shown in the infographic below.

infographic shows products people are likely to buy from sustainable brands by age. this data should encourage sustainable marketing practices if sustainable values drive brands.

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Marketer Megan Thudium agrees that the shift to sustainability takes time. She says, “Sustainability is a journey and will take years to implement. There is no finish line but continued learning and growth to become a better company that aligns better with society‘s and the planet’s needs.”

3. Communicate

Communicating your sustainability commitments is a must. Thudium says, “Consumers, government, and regulation are demanding more sustainable and ethical business practices from companies. Investors are also demanding companies have a sustainability strategy to receive funding.”

That means there’s more pressure for businesses to reduce their emissions and become more sustainable, according to Thudium. However, it must be done authentically, honestly, and verifiable.

“Communicating your sustainability needs to move past being another differentiation factor. Yes, that is a benefit for business growth,” Thudium says.

“Yes, it's the right thing to do — but more so, it reduces long-term risk for companies. It makes them more desirable to employees and talent. It keeps them regulatory compliant without fines.”

4. Be customer oriented.

You might be thinking, “Isn’t being consumer-oriented what all marketing is?” Ideally, yes, but not always.

In traditional marketing, a brand often tries to push a product or service to a customer. With consumer-oriented marketing, it’s more about understanding your customers’ needs and tailoring your marketing to that.

First, leverage user research to find out what’s important to your customers. For instance, say your audience is craving more transparency in your sourcing practices or wants you to be more vocal on social issues.

You could use that information for your next campaign or even pivot your business practices to differentiate yourselves from everyone else in your space.

Thudium adds, “You can also expect cost savings from sustainable practices, less cost in acquiring new customers.”

5. Back up your claims.

Thudium warns that sustainability marketing doesn’t work if it’s not “honest, authentic, and backed by verifiable evidence.”

Imagine finding out a business that claims to be sustainable has failed to implement any practices to promote its mission. Consumers would distrust that brand, and it would be difficult to earn it back.

Make sure your brand is looking at sustainability from a holistic lens.

Are you preaching about sustainability but using unsustainable resources to build your product? Are you collaborating with brands that conflict with your mission? Is your team representative of the future you want to promote?

These are the questions you should ask to determine if your brand reflects the mission you’ve set out to achieve. Identify the areas that need work and go to the drawing board to figure out strategies that align with your mission.

Audiences don’t expect perfection. They do, however, value transparency. It’s okay (and recommended) to share where you currently fall short and how you plan to remedy these issues.

Thudium is a huge advocate for backing up claims. She says, “Backing up your claims is all about honesty, transparency, and verifiable claims … If your claims aren‘t verifiable, then it’s greenwashing.”

Thudium notes that could have dire consequences, especially in countries where greenwashing is against the law.

6. Engage stakeholders.

Since sustainability requires real change instead of shallow value-signaling, it takes collaboration. Sustainability is a big effort, and it requires leadership outside of marketing. Engage internal teams, shareholders, supplies, and community partners in conversations and research around sustainability.

In some cases, your organizational structure may make sustainable practices difficult, like getting buy-in for a more expensive but more sustainable supplier when a company has a mandate to increase profit.

Smaller companies can consider re-organizing as a benefit corporation or achieving B Corp status to formalize their sustainability commitments.

7. Go against the grain and be brave.

In marketing, it can seem like everyone’s playing a game of copycat, using the same promotions and tactics over and over again. Posting on social media about Earth Day or International Women’s Day, for instance, is a good practice but won’t stand out against the thousands of other brand posts.

Thudium encourages everyone to “go against the grain and be brave.” She says, “Use sustainable marketing campaigns to change consumer behavior for good and promote sustainable practices in everyday life.”

Breaking with your industry runs a risk of failure — but it could also pay off in a big way. Take the outdoor brand REI, for instance. When Black Friday sales reached a peak fever pitch, the brand shocked the public by closing its stores that day and instead encouraging people to #OptOutside.

While it loses in-store revenue each year on that day, it gains loyalty from its members and employees who would rather spend time outside than in a store.

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Sustainable Marketing Examples

Need some inspiration for how to market your sustainability practices? Learn from these six brands who belong in the sustainability hall of fame.

1. The Woolmark Company

A recent Woolmark company campaign aimed to encourage people to see the benefits of wool-based clothing and stop buying fast fashion.

Thudium describes why the campaign is important. She says, “Wool is healthier for your body, biodegradable, and can be ethically sourced.”

When asked why the campaign was effective, Thudium says the campaign has

  • Strong messaging about fashion waste.
  • Encourages the benefits of wool fibers.
  • Verifiable claims.

2. Thinx

Thinx is an underwear brand whose mission is to provide sustainable solutions to menstruation and incontinence. Everything the brand puts out marketing-wise is centered around this core value.

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The brand’s social media pages feature a mix of product promotion, educational content, and mission-focused announcements.

The key to sustainable marketing is doing it in an authentic way that feels embedded in the brand, as opposed to an add-on that’s leveraged when convenient. Thinx is a great example of how to do it right.

Pro tip: You can manage your brand’s content with a tool like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, which will help you measure and optimize all of your content efficiently.

3. Kind Socks

This clothing company was started based on the founder’s desire to find a socks company with a sustainable and ethical vision. While most brands focus on inviting their consumers to purchase, Kind Socks takes the exact opposite approach: Asking them to spend less and more thoughtfully.

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This strategy may seem counterintuitive to many companies, but emphasizing the brand’s mission can help build trust with its audience and increase brand loyalty.

4. Pangaia

Materials science company Pangaia wants to save the environment. Every piece of marketing the brand puts out is centered around this core mission, including this video campaign.

In it, the brand explains its mission to “reverse the cycle from the unnatural to natural, from plastic to plants […], from the new to the recycled.” What’s effective about this ad is that Pangaia describes the future it wants to see and outlines the strategies it will implement to get there.

Throughout the ad, you see Pangaia products, but they’re not the focus. This tells viewers the mission drives the products, not the other way around — and that’s sustainable marketing done right.

5. Nada Duele

In the previous section, we discussed the importance of having a holistic approach to sustainability marketing. With Nada Duele, their mission is reflected in everything: from their name, which represents the idea that products should not cause harm, to the initiatives they take part in.

nada duele sustainable marketing example. they use their about page to market their sustainable values.

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When you visit their “How We Work” section, you learn about their collaboration with a Guatemalan institute dedicated to protecting the forestry sector.

Pro tip: It’s important that the partnerships your brand takes on align with your values. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility and trust.

6. Satya + Sage

Social media is one of the best and easiest ways to implement a sustainable marketing strategy. You can share a range of content, from educating your followers on sustainable practices to sharing ways your brand is being sustainable.

In this example, the candle company Satya + Sage shares tips on how to use the seed paper that comes with every candle.

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Pro tip: On social media, in particular, pay attention to the questions your followers ask and the comments they make, as that can inform which marketing strategies you test in the future.

Sustainable Marketing and AI

As companies rush to explore how to integrate AI into every area of their business (including marketing!), it’s important to slow down and consider the holistic impacts. AI has the potential to reduce waste and the human footprint by performing tasks more efficiently, but the ripple effects are much wider.

Consider these facts and questions as you go about integrating AI:

  • Carbon footprint of AI. Training and running an AI system requires a huge amount of computing power and electricity, increasing CO2 emissions. According to an MIT report, the data center power requirement in North America nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023 — outpacing the demand of over 70% of countries.
  • Bias in AI systems. It’s well-documented that AI systems can replicate bias. For example, according to IBM, when asked to show images of doctors, the AI shows men; for nurses, it shows women. If you are integrating AI to interact with customers or creating marketing content with AI, consider the potential effects of bias.
  • Employee impacts. Our survey revealed that customers are paying attention to how companies treat their employees. As companies replace some functions like customer service with automation, think about your affected employees. Can you reskill them for new AI jobs or support them through a career transition?

While AI can have some negative impacts, it also has the potential to help you reach your sustainability goals.

For instance, you can build a model to analyze your systems and suggest ways to reduce your carbon footprint by optimizing your supply chain. You can also leverage an AI chatbot to educate customers on sustainable practices.

Is marketing with AI more sustainable?

I can’t give you a definite answer for whether leveraging AI is more sustainable for your brand. It really comes down to the sustainability priorities that you’ve identified and whether AI helps or hurts those.

Take Dove's beauty brand, for example. One of their longtime values has been recognizing real beauty and showing authentic women’s bodies.

In 2023, Dove released an ad campaign declaring that it would never use AI-generated women in ads because it would run counter to its values of elevating real beauty.

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While Dove may integrate AI in other ways internally, they realized it was important to state how they wouldn’t use it.

The truth is, AI hasn’t been around long enough for us to truly understand the sustainability implications (the good or the bad). I wanted to understand the reasons why AI is considered unsustainable and how marketers can make the best of it in the most sustainable way possible.

Here’s what I found.

Adam Zewe, writer at MIT News, shares some of the reasons why AI isn’t environmentally friendly. In his article, Explained: Generative AI’s environmental impact, Zewe. Amongst other reasons, he cites:

  • OpenAI’s GPT-4 demands a staggering amount of electricity.
  • Increased demand for hardware, which has indirect environmental impacts (manufacturing and transport, for example).
  • Increased demand for water to cool data centers, which can strain municipal water.

There’s more, but these three stood out to me.

It’s tricky for conscientious sustainable marketers who want to be all things sustainable, while keeping up to date with an ever-growing digital world which demands use of the latest technology.

For balance, I wanted to look into the ways in which GenAI can be used sustainably. Shengyuan Su, sustainability director at Zendesk, shares tips for sustainable AI usage.

My favorite tip: “Use existing models and trained datasets whenever possible: Developing, training, and deploying new models requires additional energy and risk contributing to carbon emissions.”

For me, this seemed like a solid tip. We can use AI that is already fit for purpose, instead of spending hours training new models all the time. If the AI dataset is there already, then using is reduces energy and carbon emissions.

Engage Customers with Sustainable Marketing

From DEI to environmental impact, it’s clear to me that customers are starting to care more about where their products come from and the people behind them.

My main takeaway for you is this: Sustainable marketing isn’t just a box to tick off, it’s a whole-company practice and a cultural shift. It’s a long-term strategy that wins trust, loyalty, and customers over time.

As you consider new factors like AI in marketing and climate change, stay close to your customers to hear what they want to see from your brand.

Above all, customers value transparency and want to hear about your journey, even if you haven’t reached your goals yet. So don’t be afraid to start small and bring your customers along with you on the journey.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in September 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

via Perfecte news Non connection