The Sauce – 17/09/2024

Welcome to ‘The Sauce’ – your weekly dollop of marketing news.

By Ashleigh Morris, our Content and Comms Lead.

Welcome to ‘The Sauce’ – your free-to-access weekly newsletter for all of the latest marketing and brand news that you need to know.

This week we look at why B2B companies are having to focus on building their brand, examine the latest stats on representation in marketing, and reveal why Burger King’s “Breakup” caught our eye.

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Does Your Brand Stand Out in a ‘Sea of Sameness’?

‘Brand has never mattered more in B2B’, research from media and creative agency Dentsu has found. Dentsu’s annual ‘Superpowers Index’ is in its fourth year and covers over 25,000 brand experiences.

And perhaps the focus on brand isn’t surprising… the survey also found that the number of brands considered in B2B buying journeys is up 62% since 2021. Buyers are also placing emphasis on trust and expertise and are struggling to see the difference between brands in a ‘sea of sameness’.

As a result, raising brand awareness has jumped to the top priority for B2B brands this year (up from being just the fifth most important factor last year).

Looking to make your brand stand out? Contact james@awesomesaucemarketing.co.uk to find out how Awesomesauce could help.

Raising brand awareness has jumped to the top priority for B2B brands this year…

UK Advertising has Become Less Representative in 2024

UK ads have become less representative in 2024, according to research by Spark Foundry.

Their ‘Insights Accelerated’ report found a 7% decline over the last year, in terms of people’s sentiment towards representation in advertising.

Most audience segments felt less represented, with ‘the most noticeable drops amongst People of Colour, LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent individuals’.

The only group which saw an increase in perceived representation was the over-55 age group.

With the report claiming that a third of people say they’ll actively avoid brands which don’t emphasise diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s time for businesses to pay attention.

A third of people say they’ll actively avoid brands which don’t emphasise diversity, equity and inclusion.

Burger King Breaks Up With Their Tangy Cheese Chicken Fries

And finally, here’s our favourite brand story of the week…

Burger King announced a breakup between themselves and their Tangy Cheese Chicken Fries in a humorous social media letter. By turning what could have been a boring or negatively perceived announcement into a playful story about a “relationship” ending, they managed to create something both funny and memorable.

This kind of humour is classic Burger King – it’s bold, a little cheeky, and fits perfectly with their tone. At the same time, they’ve managed to soften the news that a product is being discontinued by framing it as “spicing things up” and moving on to “hotter” things. It’s a subtle way to get fans thinking about what else they might want to try on the menu.

It’s a “breakup” that just works!

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Contact us on hello@awesomesaucemarketing.co.uk to find out how we can support your business with a client-centred marketing approach.

You can check out previous editions of ‘The Sauce’ here.

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