By Maggie Stewart

How well do you know the story of a state steeped in natural beauty, rich culture and growing innovation? West Virginia, home to over 1.3 million acres of national forest and a thriving community of musicians and artists, is ready for a new narrative. Through strategic public relations, we can reshape how the world sees the Mountain State by highlighting its strengths, celebrating its unique culture, while also still acknowledging its challenges 

At Martin Hall Agency, we believe that every campaign begins with a strong strategy rooted in authenticity and creativity. This blog outlines how West Virginia can use public relations to elevate its public image and demonstrates how these strategies and tactics can be applied to real-world campaigns in the advertising and public relations industries. 

Spotlighting Emerging Industries

West Virginia is no longer just a coal state – it’s a state brimming with innovation. In the last few years, the technology and information industries have seen skyrocketing growth, particularly in North-Central West Virginia. According to the Seattle Times, “West Virginia has made a commitment to building out their infrastructure and advanced telecommunications in the North-central region of the state.” This presents a golden public relations opportunity to position the state as a leader in innovation. By creating compelling narratives around the success stories of local companies and their contributions to the state and local economy, West Virginia can challenge already established perceptions and inspire confidence in the state’s future. 

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Media Relations: Share profiles of tech start-ups and emerging companies in the tech and information sectors thriving in WV like Fusion Technology or Kodiak Robotics.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with other universities in the state, like Marshall or Fairmont State University, to highlight what role they (universities) play in fostering innovation in these areas.
• Content Creation: Putting out engaging videos featuring local employees and businesses, showcasing how tech is helping reshape the state’s identity. 

Media relations and content creation strategies can be applied to any rebranding effort. Putting a spotlight on what you do well, puts your best foot forward and lets you set the tone for what you want the narrative shift to look like. 

People gathered for the annual Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant W.Va On September 16^th, 2023.

Toy, S. (n.d.). Wild, wonderful and weird: West Virginia Mothman Festival Returns. Chronicle. https://shawneestatechronicle.com/5491/uncategorized/wild-wonderful-and-weird-west-virginia-mothman-festival-returns/ 

Building Community

Local events and festivals celebrating West Virginia and Appalachian traditions occur throughout the state each year. Events like the Mothman Festival and Appalachian Heritage Days showcase the rich sense of community that West Virginia has. They weave a tapestry of artistry, celebrating everything from local musicians, crafters, and artisans to farmers. W.Va. truly has a history of building community within itself through events. To amplify these efforts, PR campaigns can focus on storytelling to bring these traditions to life for outside audiences.

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Event Marketing: Partnering with travel bloggers or influencers and having them attend and document these events, reinforcing the message of warmth and hospitality.
• Digital Content: Creating a social media campaign that lets residents and visitors interact and share their favorite moments using fun hashtags like #CelebrateWV or #WVMoments.
• Video Spotlights: Creating long-form video content showcasing the artists and performers who bring these events to life would add to the narrative being built.

These strategies can be applied broadly to other campaigns’ digital strategies. Using hashtags makes your event more identifiable on social media and can extend its reach. By partnering with bloggers or influencers, you can tap into their already established audience and expand your reach even further.

Graph showing WV’s opioid overdoes death rates are rising, while the rest of the country see a decline.

WRITER, L. Cottrell STAFF. (2024, May 18). West Virginia sees rise in opioid overdose deaths while nation sees decrease, according to CDC. WV News. https://www.wvnews.com/business/west-virginia-sees-rise-in-opioid-overdose-deaths-while-nation-sees-decrease-according-to-cdc/article_9681a0d8-12d4-11ef-aac9-7b92c97320c6.html 

Balancing Honesty & Optimism

Building trust in a public relations campaign requires transparency. West Virginia faces significant challenges, including struggles with healthcare (ranked 48th nationally), infrastructure, and the ongoing opioid crisis. However, these challenges also present opportunities to highlight the state’s resilience and progress.

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Highlighting Solutions: Showcase programs WVU Medicine’s community health initiatives (e.g., Farm To You) or Ready, Read, Write West Virginia, which works to improve literacy in students. 
• Human-Centered Stories: Share stories of people or organizations working to address these issues, like video content of after-school programs or at addiction facilities like Healthy Minds.
• Data-Driven Messaging: Pair statistics with stories of measurable improvements, creating a more balanced narrative of the challenges and progress. 

These strategies could be applied more broadly to other campaigns. Showing human-centered stories gives a face to your campaign that it may otherwise be lacking, and data-driven messaging, if balanced correctly with the human touch, can also foster credibility. 

Inspiration From Others

Other examples of rebrands that went well can be used to further understand what a successful narrative shift looks like. Consider Cleveland State University, which was once overshadowed by all the larger schools in Ohio like The Ohio State and Case Western Reserve. CSU reshaped its image through strategic rebranding efforts highlighting its strengths and creating a fresh identity. 

Key Strategies and Tactics:

• Emphasizing Strengths: By focusing on its ideal downtown location, CSU positioned itself as a university that is woven into the culture of the city
• Showcasing Innovation: By promoting partnerships with local businesses and up-and-coming industries, such as internships with Fortune 500 companies like Xcel Energy and Leidos, CSU demonstrated its commitment to preparing students for the workforce and supporting businesses in the Cleveland area.
• Engaging With Stakeholders: The university used different means of engaging with the community to get their perspectives on the students and alumni, like community town halls. This helps build a more cohesive narrative around the transformation.

Shaping The Future of WV’s Narrative

Changing perceptions isn’t about hiding problems—it’s about telling a more complete story. West Virginia has the natural beauty, cultural richness, and growing innovation to inspire pride and attract attention. The state can balance transparency with optimism through strategic public relations efforts, positioning itself as a destination for progress and possibility.

Works Cited:

Toy, S. (n.d.). Wild, wonderful and weird: West Virginia Mothman Festival Returns. Chronicle. https://shawneestatechronicle.com/5491/uncategorized/wild-wonderful-and-weird-west-virginia-mothman-festival-returns/

WRITER, L. Cottrell STAFF. (2024, May 18). West Virginia sees rise in opioid overdose deaths while nation sees decrease, according to CDC. WV News. https://www.wvnews.com/business/west-virginia-sees-rise-in-opioid-overdose-deaths-while-nation-sees-decrease-according-to-cdc/article_9681a0d8-12d4-11ef-aac9-7b92c97320c6.html

The Seattle Times Company. (n.d.). The Seattle Times. https://jobs.seattletimes.com/article/west-virginias-fast-growing-it-and-high-tech-sectors/46076

Where West Virginia places in the U.S. News Best States rankings. (n.d.). https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia 

 Martin Hall Agency. (n.d.-a). https://martinhallagency.com/

 Home. FUSION TECHNOLOGY. (n.d.). https://www.fusiontechnology-llc.com/ 

Kodiak robotics is safely driving an autonomous future. Kodiak. (n.d.). https://kodiak.ai/

 Live your marshall moment. Marshall University. (2024, November 15). https://www.marshall.edu/

Welcome to Fairmont State. Fairmont State University. (n.d.). https://www.fairmontstate.edu/

Mothman Festival®. MOTHMAN FESTIVAL®. (n.d.). https://www.mothmanfestival.com/

 Appalachian Heritage Days. Almost Heaven – West Virginia. (n.d.). https://wvtourism.com/event/appalachian-heritage-days-3/

 Home: Health Sciences: West Virginia University. Home | Health Sciences | West Virginia University. (n.d.). https://health.wvu.edu/farm-to-you/ 

Ready read write. West Virginia Department of Education. (2023, November 1). https://wvde.us/ready-read-write/ 

Healthy minds. WVU Medicine. (2022, September 28). https://wvumedicine.org/careers/healthy-minds/ 

Cleveland State University Home: Cleveland State University. Cleveland State University Home | Cleveland State University. (n.d.). https://www.csuohio.edu/ 

The Ohio State University. Home. (n.d.). https://www.osu.edu/ 

Case Western Reserve University. (n.d.). https://case.edu/ 

Xcel Energy. (n.d.). https://my.xcelenergy.com/s/state-selector?return=%2Fs%2F 

Smart  Smarter, M. (n.d.). Innovative Solutions through Information Technology, engineering and science. Leidos. https://www.leidos.com/ 

By Emily Sykes

If you had to guess, how often do you express your opinion online? 

In an age where social media has become increasingly more integrated into our everyday lives, the question arises: does social media activism truly influence political and social change, or is it merely a digital echo chamber? 

In 2023, 34% of social media users stated they had joined a group that was interested in an issue or cause, while 26% said they encouraged others to take action via social media. The rise of social media has transformed the landscape of political and social discourse, but does it go any further than online noise? 

As social media companies have eaten more and more of our daily lives, conversations that once happened in bars and coffee shops have migrated to forums and comment sections. The question must be asked: Does removing the face from the name change how people interact and congregate? This post explores the complexities surrounding social media activism and its impact on political and social change. Addressing these questions and concerns aims to offer readers a deeper understanding of the nuances and intricacies of social media activism. 

Social Media’s Impact on Society 

Through platforms such as X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, people can instantly amplify their voices, upload their opinions, and mobilize communities. Social media users do this through using hashtags, creating online groups, and starting petitions. All of these tools aid in bringing people together and organizing ideas for change, and while this may be effective, it cannot be said that there is a perfect transmission of ideas from voice to text.

For example, a group of activists hoping to start a food drive could create a forum or group discussion and discuss locations and times with people trying to help. Whereas this would have been done in a town hall or town square, it is now done online. There is one notable change in venues: anonymity. At the town hall, everyone knows each other, or at least could conceivably know each other after a few minutes of discussion. 

Anonymity and Its Influence

The removal of the identity influences how people interact, the time it takes to trust, and how much information is divulged. The situation gets more important when it comes to political discussion. Politics have sparked serious debates among different parties for millennia and bringing these discussions to social media completely changes the atmosphere of the conversation. Studies have shown that 53% of people interact in political discussions via social media and say things they would never say in person. Other studies have shown that the number of politically extreme groups has increased since the advent of the Internet. 

The Intersection of Online and Offline Activism

Social media activism and traditional forms of in-person activism are not mutually exclusive; rather, they complement each other in several different ways. It can be argued that one way is more effective, but many people believe they are a bigger catalyst for change when working together. Traditional forms of activism offer the ability for on-ground action, while online advocacy allows planning these in-person events. Social media activists can quickly reach a wide audience, which offline activists cannot do as efficiently. 

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2021, approximately 72% of U.S. adults use at least one social media platform. This makes it easier for people to participate in online conversations on a global scale. By using both of these tools, social movements can maximize their impact.

Real-world Examples of Online Activism

An example of a successful online and offline activism campaign was the Black Lives Matter Movement. By utilizing the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter,” social media users were able to raise awareness about systemic racism and police brutality. This awareness aided in spreading the message and organizing protests and more offline action. This movement began in 2012 and has progressively gotten bigger, with the hashtag now holding 25.8M posts on Instagram. 

Another example would be climate change campaigns that have started via social media and sparked real change in the government. 

People like Greta Thunberg, a climate change activist, are a perfect example of the younger generation finding their voice through social media and continuing to make real-life changes. Thunberg led a movement called Fridays for Future to mobilize a global network of climate activists and bring them together to begin protests, strikes, and lobbying efforts that have been instrumental in pressuring the government and large corporations to adopt better climate policies. 

Message Fatigue: Repetition in Online Activism

While many of these campaigns are influential because of their powerful meanings, they also utilize the strategy of repetition, which in some cases can amplify their message. This tactic capitalizes on a fundamental aspect of human psychology, employing repeated exposure to draw people in. By consistently seeing social media posts about climate change or Black Lives Matter campaigns, it can increase people’s likelihood to internalize these messages and want to engage with them more. 

However, the opposite of this theory can also be argued; if someone’s social media feed is constantly flooded with one topic, they risk message fatigue. This is when a person feels overwhelmed by the number of posts relating to a specific topic, which in turn can cause resentment toward it. 

The Future of Social Media in Politics 

The future of social media is always up in the air; apps are constantly changing and evolving and being replaced by the ‘next big’ app. What is certain is that with the rapid advancements in AI technology, the pattern of engagement and communication within social media activism will only increase. While the different apps may fluctuate in popularity, social media will likely continue to grow as a hub for people to connect, organize, and advocate for their beliefs. From minor issues to high-stakes campaigns and electoral debates, the power that social media has to amplify the voices of public opinion will only continue to grow stronger.

Online Activism: Good or Bad?

This increasing influence of social media and public opinion raises multiple questions. Will this be helpful or harmful to future political events? Will more social justice be brought about due to the catalyst of social media, or will it impede this change? Only time can answer these questions, but being aware of what’s happening on social media is important for all people, especially the younger generations, during this time of change. 

Generation Z is entering their post-education years and beginning new careers, giving them much influence over their communities. Being up-to-date and aware of what’s happening with technology and social media is essential for them to craft educated decisions that will benefit them and those around them.

This increase of influence also calls for more responsibility and vigilance when it comes to important discussions. Sites such as Instagram and Facebook are constantly searching for ways to decrease misinformation and algorithm bias their sites have, and they must continue to do so. While giving people free speech and unlimited power on social media can be helpful, it can also cause an uproar, and when this happens, there is no one to hold accountable except for a screen with a profile picture. 

As people continue to navigate the complexities of social media, it’s essential to understand that it is merely a tool and nothing more. Social media can cause change and bring people together in a way that’s never been done before, but it’s up to the people to decide if this change will be meaningful or harmful. Be a part of the Martin Hall Agency and learn how to leverage the power of social media for important causes in our community and state.

By Jolynn Allinger

Trust is an important word in the field of public relations. To connect and build strong relationships with one’s clients, there must be a level of trust between the two parties. For example, let’s say you are a teenage girl looking to buy a new lipstick. On a television commercial you see Kylie Jenner promoting her new line of Kylie Cosmetics. Later that day, you see a TikTok of a girl promoting the same lip product, but this time, it does not apply as smoothly as it did in the commercial you watched earlier. Do you trust the application from the television screen, or do you trust the person applying it in their own home recording with an iPhone?

TikTok, a social media app targeted to Generation Z, introduced TikTok for Business in 2020 to allow companies to use TikTok for promotion. Organizations were then able to start collaborating with influencers on TikTok who obtained a large following. Collaborations are extremely helpful to organizations because one influencer can connect an organization to a plethora of individuals within a target audience. 

Celebrity endorsements are another popular way for organizations to promote their products through one individual. Similar to a TikTok Influencer, celebrities usually have a following that consists of people within a certain demographic. However, unlike Influencers, celebrities gain their following through existing fame and can be seen/watched by a larger overall audience. 

With that being said, who do you trust more? Let’s take a look at a couple examples. 

Alix Earle the Influencer

In 2020, Alix Earle’s TikTok career took off after she posted a video of her and her friends getting dressed in trash bags for an event at the University of Miami. Earle continued to stay relevant by posting “get ready with me” videos, which resulted in gaining a large following among Millennials and Generation Z. 

Along with a large number of followers, Earle’s exposure online has connected her to brands like Benefit at Ulta, which carry a similar target audience and a mission statement of inclusive fashion and beauty. Earle collaborated with Benefit to reward customers who spend over $60 with a free makeup bag and a set of hair clips. 

@thebrandblueprint

Alix Earle’s Partnership with Benefit at Ulta #branding #brand #marketing #ulta #alixearle #benefit #productdesign #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo

♬ original sound – Brooke 💡 The Brand Blueprint

 When scrolling through Earle’s account, it is noticeable that she has used and loved Benefit products since 2022, long before Benefit reached out for a partnership. In an interview, Earle states that she tries out each product for a few months before she promotes it to her followers to ensure she genuinely likes it. 

While there is no direct source online stating how much this collaboration made, Earle makes roughly $40,000-$70,000 per post, depending on the partnership. Benefit, on the other hand, was able to sell out all of the Alix Earle bags and clips and gain large amounts of word-of-mouth public relations through other influencers and users who reviewed the products on their personal accounts, making Benefit products go viral.

With that being said, not all influencers are like Earle. It is important to research an influencer before deciding to trust them because not all influencers are as real as they appear.

Michael Cera the Celebrity

Michael Cera is a Canadian actor who gained fame from his role on the show Arrested Development. In 2024, he partnered with Cerave, a line of skin care products, to launch a humorous Super Bowl commercial. 

“Michael CeraVe” I CeraVe Super Bowl (Long Form)

As the partnership was announced during a Super Bowl commercial, it reached an audience of approximately 123.7 million viewers and cost roughly $7 million to produce. According to Search data, Cerave saw a 960% boost in search during the Super Bowl, and Michael Cera saw a lift of 4660%. 

As the collaboration between Cera and Cerave was successful, Cera benefited more than the company he was promoting. However, in an interview, Cera admitted that he is fond of the brand. He stated, “I think it’s a fine product, but that’s as far as it goes, as far as I’m willing to say.”

What is the Difference?

While Cera is a well-known celebrity, his fans do not get to see his morning routine on a daily basis, as opposed to Earle, who shows us her morning routine of using Benefit products every day. This fact alone can make Cera’s credibility in using Cerave products questionable. 

It is also important to do research when getting information online to determine whether the content is true or false. When an individual works with and represents a brand, it is crucial that the audience believes the endorsement, which is why trust is so important. 

A quote from The Social Media Hat states, “When we receive information from someone we know and trust, it activates the reward centers in our brain, which release dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters. This makes us more likely to remember and act on the information we receive.” 

As a public relations specialist, it is vital to maintain a good relationship between a company and its public. Choosing a spokesperson for a campaign or a collaboration is an important decision. The person must represent one’s brand well and be trustworthy.  Need help finding an influencer for your brand? Martin Hall Agency can help. 

By Izabella Venuto

Remember when Miley Cyrus went from Hannah Montana into her bad girl “Bangerz” era? From Mike Tyson to Oprah and Rihanna to Ice T, it seems every generation can point to a famous personality who has dramatically changed their career image.

Why Rebranding Matters:

In today’s fast-paced world, consumer preferences shift rapidly, and maintaining a consistent brand image can lead to irrelevance. Rebranding offers a strategic approach to realigning with evolving audience expectations, renewing brand identity and driving business growth. Time and time again, celebrities have changed their appearance and managed to not only stay relevant but also become more popular. By learning from the masters of reinvention, aka celebrities, we can gain insight to guide businesses through the rebranding process.

Let’s take a closer look at some iconic celebrity transformations and the strategies they used to reshape their public perception.

Rihanna and Reinventing Fashion and Beauty Standards

 Rihanna’s entry into the fashion and beauty industry with her brands Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty challenged traditional standards and celebrated diversity. Rihanna successfully redefined beauty norms by prioritizing inclusivity and innovation and captured a loyal audience. Brands can use Rihanna’s bold approach by challenging industry norms, involving inclusivity, and aligning their rebranding efforts with important causes that can cause cultural shifts.

Rihanna made significant strides when it came to inclusivity. She shifted her entire persona from that of a bad girl pop star to that of a business mogul whose companies are all about inclusivity. Along with being known for her music, she is known for her amazing looks and fashion sense, so her rebranding as a company owner made sense to her fans and made her products even more marketable. Her brand Fenty Beauty became famous not only because of Rihanna’s star status being behind it but also because of its inclusive 50-shade foundation range, and with her lingerie company Savage x Fenty, she held up inclusivity by including bra sizes from 32 to 46 in bands and A to H in cups, as well as underwear and sleepwear from sizes XS to 3X. With these major changes, she still stayed true to her vibe and what makes her popular. 

The Personal Rebrand

With the rise of her companies her music career took the back seat and her main focus became her businesses and making them successful and popular. She began only to promote her new image as a business mogul. She completely stopped releasing music, which was extremely unlike her at the time, and even went MIA on her social media and only had a proper public reappearance with the introduction of Fenty Beauty. Her silence and privacy kept fans intrigued about where she went and what caused the disappearance. When she came back, not only did the public’s perception of her shift, but the way she presented herself changed as well. Before her hiatus, she was known as an edgy pop star who wasn’t afraid to say, post, or do anything. Since then many people now see her as Rihanna the owner of Fenty Beauty. She mainly posted and promoted media about her new businesses and refrained from being as public about her life overall shifting the focus to all things on the business side.

Matthew McConaughey: Shifting Perceptions through Personal Branding

 His career resurgence is proof of the power of personal branding, as he takes on unconventional roles and embraces authenticity in his public persona. McConaughey transformed from a known rom-com heartthrob to a critically acclaimed actor. The reason why he went about his career rebrand was McConaughey’s transformation can be explained by him getting older and wanting to be known as a more serious actor. He took a break from being in films, and when he emerged, he only starred in more serious roles that didn’t relate to his usual romantic filmography. 

As a well-established actor, McConaughey knows how the effects of typecasting can affect an actor, so rejecting that notion and going for a completely different persona is brave. Brands can learn from McConaughey’s willingness to take risks, differentiate themselves, and create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences.

Practical Tips for Rebranding Success

Based on these successful rebrands, some advice and tips companies can use to improve or change public perception:

1. Consistency Isn’t Always Key: Just because something already works doesn’t mean a change can’t increase success. Take Rihanna for example. She was already wildly famous just as a bad girl singer, but with her growing and changing fans and audiences she was always looking for something new
2. Be Authentic With Your Change: Matthew McConaughey’s successful rebranding as a serious actor was driven by his authenticity and willingness to take risks. Brands should strive to maintain authenticity throughout the rebranding process, ensuring that the new image aligns with their values and resonates with their target audience. Genuine branding builds trust and credibility with consumers.
3. Shift Focus When Necessary: Just as Rihanna shifted her focus from music to her businesses, companies should be willing to realign their priorities based on market trends and opportunities. Sometimes, a change in direction is necessary for growth and staying relevant. Assess where your brand’s strengths lie and adjust your focus.
4. Don’t Fear Deviating from the Norm: McConaughey’s exit from his typical rom-com roles illustrates the importance of breaking away from the expected. Similarly, businesses should be bold and take risks and differentiate themselves from competitors. A bold and distinctive rebranding strategy can set your brand apart and attract attention in a busy market.
5. Stay True to Your Core Values: While rebranding involves change, remaining true to your brand’s core values and identity is crucial. Rihanna’s transition from a pop star to a business mogul didn’t compromise her authenticity or values; instead, it enhanced her brand’s image.

Conclusion:

Rebranding is not just a cosmetic change; it’s a strategic move that can be an advantage for businesses that want to thrive in a dynamic market with so many different brands. There are many reasons for companies to rebrand: when there is a change in the target audience, when the brand proposition is no longer relevant; or when a competitor disrupts the market. 

Rebranding comes in many different ways. As audiences gain more influence and the market becomes increasingly more complicated, rebranding is not just expected but crucial. Relevancy is important for a brand’s success, but it must be regularly adjusted, or even a popular brand can suddenly lose its appeal. How a business is perceived is no longer solely controlled by the owner. Public opinion holds significant weight, which can weigh the same as expensive branding strategies. By studying the successes and strategies of celebrity transformations, brands can get valuable insights and inspiration for their rebranding. The key to all this is authenticity, innovation, and a strong understanding of your audience. So, embrace the journey of reinvention, and let your brand transform for the better.

By Brenda Gulliksen

Within the fast-paced realm of public relations and advertising, where messages are presented from all directions, one major component shines through as the key to success throughout the chaos: deeply understanding the target audience. Imagine a campaign that speaks directly to one’s deepest goals and dreams and connects on a personal level. This ability to understand and appeal to a specific target audience has influenced public relations and advertising for many years.

In this blog, the stories of creative innovators who dared to speak directly to their audiences and reshaped the advertising world will be uncovered as the journey through the history of advertising and today’s communication strategies unfold. Read on to explore the history, development and ongoing importance of target audiences in public relations and advertising as the puzzle of audience engagement is unraveled.

Bernbach and Ogilvy: Innovators of the Advertising World

Two names stand out as innovators: Bill Bernbach and David Ogilvy. These innovative-thinking advertising men changed the status quo by communicating directly with target audiences. They demonstrated their understanding that creating genuine connections with people was just as important to successful campaigns as product sales.

Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) co-founder Bill Bernbach firmly believed in the transformative impact of “big ideas” that touched customers’ emotions and intellect. One of Bernbachs most famous quotes is, “Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art.”

Often referred to as the Father of Advertising, David Ogilvy was a master of persuasion who valued strategy and research. The book, The King of Madison Avenue, states, “Time magazine called Ogilvy “the most sought-after wizard in the advertising  industry.” Together, Bernbach and Ogilvy transformed the field of advertising, redefining the rules and inspiring a new generation of marketers.

Persona Creation

The creation of personas has become essential to contemporary public relations and commercial campaigns. Before diving deeper, it’s important to note that “Personas are fictional profiles that represent groups of similar people in a target audience. They can help you figure out how to reach people on a more personal level while delivering the right messages, offers and products at the right time.”

Plenty of examples involve successful campaigns that made excellent use of persona-driven techniques. Persona development has evolved into a standard procedure in the advertising industry, whether a car company is trying to reach out to fifty-year-old single dads or a fashion brand is targeting Gen Z women.

As part of the political discourse surrounding the potential ban on TikTok, it’s important to understand what this means for the 7 million small businesses and other users that rely on the platform as a main source of marketing. The ease of use and ability to get millions of views and thousands of followers off of a single video just by posting and letting the algorithm take care of the rest make it an ideal platform unlike any other for marketing. With platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, it can take years to grow a following and get a lot of impressions.

Developing Personas

Although Bill Bernbach or David Ogilvy did not create personas, their approaches to advertising influenced the development and use of persona-driven strategies in the advertising industry. 
“Persona Development is the task of creating a representation of different types of people who will interact with your product or service. These are generally fictional characters that may possibly use your business, brand, website or product.”  This strategy aligns with the ideas put forth by Bernbach and Ogilvy, who stressed the value of developing a personal connection with consumers and learning about their wants and needs.

 The Role of Account Planning Today

The introduction of account planning marks another significant advancement in the advertising industry. According to the article, J. Walter Thompson: The Origin and Development of Account Planning, “Account Planning emerged in 1968 in London as a consequence of the research and planning tradition that already existed at JWT. JWT’s corporate culture established the importance of the Account Planning approach that was valued by advertisers and spread to all offices. The planning tools used by the multinational today are updated versions of those that were designed from 1960 onwards.”

Account planners use research and analysis to create advertising ideas and communicate between creative teams and clients. By carefully examining consumer behavior and market trends, they can spot opportunities and develop campaigns that connect with the target audience. Account planning has become recognized as a crucial element of effective public relations and advertising campaigns, with agencies actively utilizing strategy and research to ensure their messaging connects with the target audience.

Account planning and target audience personas are crucial to successful marketing strategies, as they work together to guarantee successful target audience communication. Both start by having a clear grasp of who their audience is. Target audience personas create detailed profiles that represent different groups, and account planning gathers information to guide the overall campaign strategy.

Next, by determining which audience to target and how to craft messages that appeal to them, target audience personas direct the campaign’s strategy and messaging. Account planners utilize this data to create relevant messaging plans that resonate with the audience by matching audience preferences.

Account planning and target audience profiles also impact campaign development by directing decisions about strategies and distribution. By combining account planning and target audience personas, campaigns have a greater impact. All in all, by adjusting campaigns to the needs and preferences of the target audience, target audience personas and account planning collaborate to provide successful marketing outcomes.

“Is Pepsi ok?”: The Successful Targeted Advertising Campaign

One prime example of a successful campaign that tapped into its target audience is the “Is Pepsi OK?”  campaign aired during Superbowl LIII. The article states, “The key to the success of Pepsi’s campaign was self-awareness. The marketers tapped into real scenarios their customers have at restaurants when they encounter their product. Every time a waiter asks a customer, “Is Pepsi OK?” the customer will inevitably link the statement to the overwhelmingly positive commercial and campaign message.”

Realizing the need to establish a personal connection with its customers, Pepsi leveraged the emotions behind the question. Pepsi executed a brilliant marketing strategy by rephrasing the question to promote choice and individuality positively. The key insight that arose from this campaign was to “Figure out how your consumers perceive your brand and use it to your advantage in self-aware marketing campaigns.”

Given that the campaign addressed and acknowledged the underlying concerns of its target audience, this campaign touched an emotional connection with consumers. Pepsi created a message highlighting its products and confirming its commitment to customer satisfaction by understanding the small emotional factors influencing consumer behavior. The “Is Pepsi OK?” campaign’s success offers proof of the success of strategic communication to create deep connections with its target audiences.

Why Target Audiences Matter

This breakdown of target audiences in public relations and advertising highlights an important truth: Successful campaigns must understand and communicate with their target audiences. Communication methods have changed, emphasizing the importance of the target audience, from the creative approaches of Ogilvy and Bernbach to modern methods like account planning and persona development.

Understanding the importance of this can provide potential clients with important information on how to understand the marketing campaigns and business results Martin Hall Agency provides. In the same way, this blog offers a multitude of educational possibilities for prospective students within the MHA audience.

Let us continue to welcome the opportunities of the present and the lessons of the past as we turn to the future. By sticking to the core values of creativity, honesty, and strategic thinking, we can design campaigns that captivate audiences and create a long-lasting impression on their hearts and minds.

By Isabella Dill

Incorporating small-town charm into mass media marketing strategies offers a timeless allure that transcends digital barriers. By embracing authenticity, prioritizing community values, and evoking nostalgia, brands can craft campaigns that resonate on a profoundly human level, fostering enduring connections with their audience. It’s time to unlock the full potential of small-town sensibilities in modern marketing. Let’s take a look at some brands that are doing it will and exploring what we can learn from them.

Emphasis on Personal Relationships and Community Values

Small towns thrive on personal connections and communal values, nurturing loyalty through word-of-mouth referrals and personalized interactions. Larger brands can draw inspiration from this by prioritizing authenticity and cultivating genuine relationships with their audience. In our modern, post-COVID society, this level of personal connection holds greater significance than ever before.

Patagonia Grassroots Campaign

Take, for instance, Patagonia’s grassroots campaigns, which champion environmental activism, striking a chord with consumers on a deeply personal level. Rather than relying solely on conventional advertising tactics, Patagonia has carved out its niche by authentically aligning with environmental causes and supporting grassroots activism. Through initiatives like the “1% for the Planet” program and local environmental organization support, Patagonia demonstrates a steadfast commitment to positively impacting beyond profit margins.

Evolution of Influencer Marketing

Dove Real Beauty Campaign

The evolution of influencer marketing towards authenticity mirrors the intimate connections in small-town enterprises. Influencers who authentically share moments resonate profoundly with their audience, exemplifying the power of authenticity in forging connections.

Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign is a prime example, collaborating with everyday individuals to celebrate diverse beauty standards and foster inclusivity. This campaign consistently stands out as a beacon of advertising excellence, not merely promoting products but uplifting and empowering its audience on a deeply personal level. Through inclusive messaging and celebrating diverse beauty, Dove has struck a chord with individuals globally, by featuring real people instead of airbrushed models, forging a profound connection with its audience.

Nostalgia and Romanticism in Advertising

Brands are tapping into the nostalgia and romanticism associated with small-town life to evoke sentiments of warmth and community. Coca-Cola’s iconic “Share a Coke” campaign personalized bottles with individual names, fostering consumers’ sense of belonging and camaraderie. As reported by Coca-Cola, this campaign yielded a remarkable 2% increase in global sales and a 7% uptick in consumption.

By harnessing authenticity and community values, brands can forge deeper connections with their audience, driving engagement and loyalty. Incorporating small-town charm into mass media marketing strategies offers a timeless appeal that transcends digital barriers, fostering lasting connections with the audience. It’s time to unlock the potential of small-town sensibilities in modern marketing endeavors and at MHA we can help. 

By George Peppe

As a small business, you want your customers to recognize you and remember your brand over the dozens of brands on their feed. Botanical Bakery was a small start-up out of Napa Valley, California; after re-designing their brand with a new logo/color palette and new packaging design, they saw sales triple each year. A 900% increase in sales in 24 months. Crazy right?  

Good brand design can show customers that you are reputable and a trusted business because you look good visually online. Whether it’s website design, social media branding, or logo design, the best-looking ones will stand out against the hundreds of brands customers see each day.

Some brands might not realize how important good design is, and small businesses can overlook it due to several reasons. For some, it’s a lack of finances/resources, a common misconception is that brand design is a luxury rather than an investment that can drive growth. For others, it’s just a lack of awareness, some small business owners might not fully understand the impact a strong brand design can have on their business. This includes not just a logo, but the overall visual and identity of the brand. First impressions are important and the same goes for brand design. Here are some more in-depth reasons why you shouldn’t overlook branding design as a business.

Helps Audiences Recognize Your Brand

Branding design helps your audience recognize your company, products, and content. Probably the most well-known advantage of branding is how it helps you identify with your audience. When you see an ad, website, or social media post, it should be clear what company created it. Along with creating a recognizable presence, branding design can also convey specific messages about your business and its values, personality, and more. 

Take a look at how consistent Coca-Cola’s branding is. The logo’s simplicity and typography make it instantly recognizable, and the specific color scheme of red evokes feelings of excitement, passion, and energy, which align with the brand’s identity.

It’s also important to talk about how you can use logos to have a hidden meaning and show your audience what your brand is about. One of the best examples of this is Fedex’s logo; there is a hidden arrow in between the “E” and the “X,” embodying the concept of advancing swiftly and accurately. These hidden messages in logos can make a bigger impact than you realize. Brand awareness will increase significantly just from audiences dissecting your message. It goes from someone quickly glancing at a logo, to dissecting its hidden meaning, which will be on your mind much longer than just looking at a normal logo. 

Maximizes Impact

Research has found that people remember 80% of what they see, but only 20% of what they read. If you only remember 20% of this article, then let it be this: Good design will resonate with your audience. When branding is done with a specific audience in mind, there is a greater chance that these people will remember and be drawn to your business. For example, if your business produces children’s toys, you will want to create branding that will attract the attention of young kids. Think bright colors, fun graphics, and more. In this case, a luxurious design look will not work well for that audience.

Businesses with clear, consistent branded designs have more impact on audiences because people know exactly what to expect from them. They become used to a specific personality and then begin to feel a certain kind of connection to it. Nike, for example, is known for its motivational, powerful visuals. Because Nike has worked hard to maintain this personality in its designs, people associate it with strength.

While art and design are subjective and hard to differentiate what’s considered “good” vs “bad” design, here is an example of what a more modern brand design looks like for a logo vs a more outdated brand design. (Source)

Communicate Effectively with Your Audience

Branding acts as a means of communication with your target audience, while your design elements work together to convey specific messages about your business. For example, your logo might express what kind of services you offer. Or, if your company produces sleek, modern furniture, your social media graphics might be minimalist and clean. Remember the example we showed earlier with FedEx’s logo design and how the hidden arrow conveys the concept of advancing swiftly and accurately to its destination as a mailing company?

These are Airbnb’s Brand Guidelines so you can get an idea on crafting your own brand guidelines for your small business:

Airbnb’s branding is a great example of how a brand effectively communicates with its audience. It emphasizes the feeling of belonging, using a warm and welcoming color palette, photographs of real people and places, and a simplistic logo. This design approach helps communicate the brand’s message of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere.

When it comes down to it, putting effort into your branding can mean the difference between getting that deal or being completely bypassed. To make it plain and simple: Invest in your image! Your branding is a foundational part of your business and one of the key factors in competing for customers’ attention. If you need help with your business’s brand design, fill out the contact form on the “Get In touch” page on the Martin Hall Agency’s website to get connected with our talented student art directors. 

By Sophie Stanley

In 2019, the restaurant chain Applebee’s faced a decline in sales. As the pandemic led to stay at home orders and social distancing, the next two years led to an even sharper decline in sales. Then, with the release of Walker Hayes’s “Fancy Like” in 2022, Applebee’s sales shot higher than their pre-pandemic levels. Along with country music fans, the song reached millions of users on TikTok. Considering the 102% boost in sales as compared to the year before the song, it’s safe to say that “Fancy Like” positively altered perceptions of the brand and introduced its services to an entirely new group of customers.

Musical Advertising can be Pitch-Perfect.

Even though accomplished without their corporate involvement, Applebee’s success demonstrates musical advertising’s incredible power. In the world of advertising, every impression and methodical tactic matters. By creating a memorable brand persona, Applebee’s found themselves susceptible to positive endorsements outside of their power. Branding determines the public’s perception by establishing a unique connection with the audience; when the audience feels a connection with a brand, they are more inclined to support it – in Walker Hayes’s case, by writing a song. 

The strategic use of music and videos has emerged as essential tools in capturing the audience’s attention, evoking emotion, and etching brand identities into the consumer’s mind. From iconic jingles to carefully calculated soundtracks, music has become an indispensable element in persuasion. 

Musical advertising creates a more memorable campaign for consumers. Various styles of songs and instruments purposefully evoke different reactions that fuel brand interactions. By incorporating music into an advertisement, companies can control an audience’s perception and their attraction to a brand. “Fancy Like” introduced the younger users of TikTok to the restaurant and its services. It once again became a staple for family meals.

Finding the Perfect Key

How can companies manipulate their advertising through music? Pairing musical elements with corresponding visuals enhances brand retention and defines how they present themselves. Instrumentation, style, and song are key to creating a strong emotional reaction. A consumer study explains what substantially affects these reactions. 

• The acoustic guitar in a major key creates a caring, calm, and sophisticated sound.
• Short, sharp notes in a major key evoke happiness and excitement. 
• Repetitive drums encourage energy and motivation. 
• A shift to a minor key evokes sadness or melancholy. 
• Brass instruments underlines anger and reflection.

Nielsen conducted a study on the effectiveness of music in TV advertisements. More than 500 of 600 commercials contained music. The research showed that commercials with music performed better with audiences across four key metrics: creativity, empathy, emotive power, and information power. 

How are other musical tones used?

Pharmaceutical companies have also mastered the use of music in their advertisements. They play catchy, upbeat melodies to mask the long list of side effects their prescription causes. The song aligns with colorful visuals, typically with active characters similar in age to their target audience. 

Recently, there has been an influx in pharmaceutical commercials taking a classic song and rewriting the lyrics with the name of their medicine. The prescription Trelegy reworded “ABC” by The Jackson Five to “Tre-le-gy… power of 1-2-3.” Those who graduated high school when this song was popular are now in the target age for this medicine. Incorporating a familiar song tied to a generation catches their attention and recommends a product they might need. 

ASPCA broadcasts commercials to stop animal cruelty, which is perhaps the most noticeable musical advertisement. Playing “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan alongside melancholy images of neglected animals evokes extreme sadness. The song is now associated with ASPCA and their philanthropic efforts. This messaging affects anyone with animals or who feels sympathy for their conditions. 

By implementing a positive tune, brands utilize jingles as a catchy and succinct melody paired with memorable lyrics to create a unique signature. Jingles can cut through the noise of everyday life and embed themselves deep within consumers’ subconscious. Their simplicity makes them easily recallable and prevalent long after their exposure in an advertisement. 

If you asked someone to finish “the best part of waking up” by Folgers or “they’re magically delicious” by Lucky Charms, they likely wouldn’t hesitate. In an increasingly crowded marketplace with short attention spans, jingles provide a memorable and effective way for brands to differentiate themselves with unique music that connects with a consumer.

The Final Note

Musical advertising is exceptionally powerful for connecting audiences to a brand. Music remains one of the most powerful methods of communication, and advertisers harnessing this power ensures influential campaigning destined to touch the audience. Fostering excitement, happiness, sadness, or reflection through an ad will continue to play a massive role in the advertising industry.

By Alessia Mangan

The hashtag is a feature that has changed how social media has been used over the last decade. However, new social media advancements have caused some users to believe hashtags have lost their magic touch. With the rise of SEO, keywords and AI, people, including brands, find that hashtags aren’t increasing their reach or visibility like they used to. For social media marketers, the confusion surrounding the effectiveness of hashtags prevents them from using them to their full potential or even using them at all. So, are the rumors true? Are hashtags dead? 

The short answer is no. Hashtags are not dead, yet. There is a possibility they’re on their way out, though. In this blog, we will cover hashtags and their evolution, their roles in marketing in 2024, and the future of the symbol.

The Birth of the Hashtag

In the early days of social media, content on a specific topic was pretty difficult to find. Only a little over a year after Twitter (now X) launched, users called for the platform to update with a grouping function. Chris Messina decided to share his idea of a possible solution for grouping similar content together, the hashtag. While many users loved the idea, Twitter wasn’t too fond of it at first. In fact, Messina told Wall Street Journal’s Elana Zak that Twitter told him “these things are for nerds” and “wouldn’t be used widely.” 

Though Twitter doubted the idea, the first widespread use of a hashtag on the platform was shortly after Messina pitched his idea in 2007. A devastating fire burned through San Diego County, and #SanDiegoFire was used for users to track updates and find resources on Twitter. In 2009, Twitter gave in and adopted the hashtag. Resulting in hashtags amplifying users’ messages and boosting discoverability.

The Debate

Some people believe that hashtags are still relevant as they enhance visibility, increase reach and engagement, and create communities of like-minded people. Others think that hashtags are oversaturated, don’t hold the same value they once did, and are easily misused, which annoys them. The #Haters believe that algorithm changes, digital advancements, and spammers are factors in the diminishing power of hashtags. 

Neither group is completely right or wrong. While hashtags seem to have lost their magic touch, if they’re used properly, individuals and brands can still gain significant benefits.  Let’s take a closer look into the reasons people are #HatingOnHashtags.

Hijacking Hashtags: Once you start using a hashtag, you no longer have control over it. Even brand or company-specific hashtags can easily be “hijacked.” When a hashtag is hijacked, it means it’s not being used for the original purpose. This can happen in two ways: trolls or a campaign gone wrong. 

Trolls: Trolls are users who use a bunch of trending hashtags to get attention. They spam hashtags with irrelevant content either to promote themselves or “just because.” 

Campaign Gone Wrong: When businesses use hashtags to promote an event or product, sometimes the hashtag can be taken over by detractors who try to shift the campaign’s or brand’s perspective negatively. McDonald’s encountered this issue in 2012 with its #McDStories campaign. The purpose was for people to share positive experiences, but instead, the tag went viral because users shared bad experiences. (Campbell, 2023) 

— Dude, I used to work at McDonald’s. The #McDStories I could tell would raise your hair. (via Twitter)

Algorithm Shifts

Platforms constantly changing their algorithms have a major impact on the effectiveness of hashtags. Instagram’s algorithm changes, for example, focus more on keywords within captions, comments, and bios than hashtags. The platform began to analyze the content of every post to determine its relevance to users’ interests (Jangid, 2023).

Facebook’s algorithm updates in 2024 are dependent on Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI makes the user experience more personalized by analyzing each individual’s behavior and preferences. Every post is now given a “relevance score” determined by each user’s previous preferences and behaviors. The shift even calculates each individual’s predicted time spent on posts and the likelihood of engagement, again, based on past interactions (Macready, 2024).

Digital advancements such as AI have also significantly impacted the effectiveness of hashtags, but we’ll cover that later when discussing the future of hashtags. Before jumping to the future, let’s discuss why pro-hashtaggers still “see something” in hashtags, what benefits they still hold, and how to use them properly on different platforms.

Proper Use of Hashtags is Key

Those users who aren’t seeing the same increase in numbers as they used to may be using hashtags wrong. It seems simple to use them, right? Well, if brands or individuals want to see a spike in reach and visibility, they can’t just throw a hashtag in the caption and expect a miracle to happen.

Research

To understand what hashtags will work for you or your brand, you must research. Researching trending industry or niche hashtags will ensure that you use one that will reach and resonate with the target audience. Many online resources, such as Hubspot Marketing Hub and Hashtagify, can help track trending hashtags in specific industries/niches. Another way to find relevant hashtags for your brand is to follow influencers in your niche.

Hashtags & Platform-Specifics

Hashtags still remain vital tools for brands on social media when it comes to increasing visibility and reach. Understanding the purposes of hashtags on each platform is essential for creating an effective strategy that resonates with the target audience and maximizes reach.

X (Twitter)

The hashtag was born in 2007 on X (Twitter at the time). Hashtags are still proven to increase engagement for users on the platform. In fact, individual engagement can increase by up to 100% when using hashtags, and brands can see up to 50% increased engagement. To see a spike in engagement, hashtags must be used properly. One to two hashtags per post on X can increase the chance of a “retweet” by 55%. Using more than two hashtags can make posts look spammy, which in turn can decrease engagement by 17%. Surprisingly, when hashtags are NOT used in sponsored ads, brands can see an engagement increase of up to 23%.

Instagram

Crafting a brand hashtag is an advantage on Instagram, especially if it has 21-24 characters. 21-24 characters in a hashtag do better than those with more or less characters and create a less competitive space. These hashtags attract a more niche audience, which is important for brands, as 70% of hashtags on Instagram are branded. For users with 100,000 followers or more, putting hashtags as the first comment of their post brings up to 15.9% more engagement than no hashtag, whereas placing it in the caption only brings up to 14% more engagement. 

For accounts with (followers), hashtags can increase engagement by (%):

• > 1,000 followers – 29%+
• > 5,000 followers – 36%+
• 5,000 – 10,000 followers – 20%
• 10,000 – 50,000 followers – 21%
• 50,000 – 100,000 followers – 21.43%

Facebook

Hashtags on Facebook are less effective than on other platforms but also less common. Too many hashtags can appear spammy or annoying, as they’re not super common. People are not likely to engage with a post that appears to be spam. One relevant hashtag is actually the best amount to include on Facebook. One hashtag averages an engagement increase of 593/post, 3-5 hashtags increase by 416/post, and 6-10 hashtags increase by 307/post.

LinkedIn

Over the past few years, hashtags have increased in popularity on LinkedIn. On the platform, hashtags are used to establish credibility and expertise, reach an audience that values your insights, and spark meaningful conversations. Using one niche and two industry-related hashtags placed at the bottom of the post is seen as the best way to use them on the platform.

TikTok

If you’re not using hashtags on TikTok, consider yourself doing it wrong. TikTok hashtags help boost visibility and engagement. The app suggests hashtags for users, which usually include trending ones. Trending hashtags allow the algorithm to favor your content as it deems relevant and increases engagement. Three to five hashtags is the recommended amount, but using more is okay if they’re niche and/or industry related.

The Future of Hashtags

As we’ve covered, social media is ever-evolving, and so are hashtags. While hashtags still hold a place in social media strategies, digital advancements may diminish their power.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

“The role of AI models in content categorization is transformative. These models can deeply analyze the content, context, and sentiment of a post, effectively categorizing it into relevant groups. The precision with which these models operate often surpasses that of the average user. In simpler terms, AI can understand the essence of a post, ensuring it reaches the audience it resonates with the most, without necessarily relying on hashtags.” – Angel Edsa (2023)

Final Thoughts

Despite the rumors, hashtags do still hold relevance on social media, but aren’t being used as much or in the same way they used to be. Digital advancements such as AI continue to shape how content is distributed and categorized, so hashtags are competing with more sophisticated engagement methods. However, understanding each platform’s “purpose” for hashtags is crucial for successfully using hashtags. Staying informed, adapting to changes, and utilizing hashtags to their full potential will help individuals and brands continue to grow and navigate the social media landscape.

Interested in learning more? Check out the references for this blog

Campbell, A. (2023, October 2). What is Hashtag Hijacking? Small Business Trends. https://smallbiztrends.com/what-is-hashtag-hijacking/

Edsa, A. & The Medium. (2023, September 27). Are Hashtags Dead? The Medium. https://medium.com/@angel.edsa/are-hashtags-dead-f20d2c182af

Instagram’s changing algorithm: Keywords matter more – Uniworld Studios. (n.d.). https://uniworldstudios.com/blog/the-changing-instagram-algorithm-keywords-matter-more-than-hashtags

MacArthur, A. (2021, March 10). History of hashtags and use in social media. Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/history-of-hashtags-3288940

Macready, H. (2024, January 11). 2024 Facebook algorithm: tip + secrets revealed. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-algorithm/

Panko, B. (2017, August 23). A decade ago, the hashtag reshaped the internet. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/decade-ago-hashtag-reshaped-internet-180964605/

Search Engine Watch. (2019, September 20). 5 Brilliant ways to use #Hashtags in Social Media Marketing. https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2014/02/10/5-brilliant-ways-to-use-hashtags-in-social-media-marketing/

Staff, V. R. (2020, March 16). #History: How the Humble pound sign became the hashtag. Vertical Rail. https://www.verticalrail.com/2015/09/23/history-of-the-hashtag/

By Mason Deel

Sports and sponsorships go together like bread and butter. Why wouldn’t they? Events like the Super Bowl have become famous for their advertisements and their effectiveness as a brand. Brand names, logos, and messaging are littered throughout any sporting event, from the names of the stadiums to the playing surface of the sport itself. However, one sponsorship avenue has only recently begun expanding across the modern sports market: the jerseys the players wear.

The History

Jersey sponsorship is not a new idea in sports. Professional soccer teams have had sponsors on their chests since the 1950s when the first recorded instance of jersey sponsorship came from the Uruguayan soccer club Peñarol.

The English Premier League began the practice two decades later, allowing clubs to place sponsor logos on their jerseys. Liverpool FC was the first club to adopt this, and today, every club has a primary sponsor front and center for every kit. However, this proved much more difficult than anticipated for the club. 

The BBC, who broadcasted Premier League matches, had a strict policy against advertising that it did not approve, per Dave Moor, who runs the jersey history website historicalkits.co.uk, in an article for Vice. “For several years, teams had to have shirts without sponsorship if the television cameras were turning up.” Eventually, the league was permitted to accept sponsorship, so long as the maximum size did not exceed that permitted. 

So, what makes these different from the modern trend across American professional sports? To find this answer, we have to examine where and why it started. 

Of the major professional leagues in the US, Major League Soccer was the first to allow jersey sponsorship in 2007, following the trend created across other professional soccer leagues. Ten years later, the National Basketball Association would do the same. Following Nike’s takeover of jersey manufacturing, the NBA permitted teams to promote sponsors on the left sleeve of their jerseys, opposite the Nike logo on the right sleeve.

As the first of the “big four” American leagues (the NBA, National Football League, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball), it saw the results the quickest. Five years after its introduction, the league’s jersey patch program was worth nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. 

For both the league and the brands that wanted to sponsor, it was a huge win. Amy Brooks, the NBA’s President of Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer, noted the variety that a sponsorship provides for a brand.

“We found that partners wanted to really use this asset for different reasons,” Brooks said. “Some partners wanted to use it for brand awareness, other partners wanted to use it to sell more products. We’ve seen other partners want to use it to become more relevant in new markets globally.”

Following The Footsteps

After the NBA, the NHL was the next league to permit jersey sponsor patches. During the COVID-19-plagued seasons of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, the league implemented sponsors on player helmets to offset some of the losses from the instability the pandemic caused. The following year, the league allowed sponsors for the jerseys to be added opposite the captain’s crest on the right collarbone.

 This was horrible news for some of the league’s more storied franchises like the Toronto Maple Leafs, which the Dairy Farmers of Ontario were sponsoring. Fans online quickly took to sharing their displeasure with these ads. One commenter said, “One of the most hallowed sweaters in league history, and it just casually says ‘milk’ on the chest now. Great job.”

Despite the initial negative reaction, fans’ opinions soon mellowed, and the sponsorship has proven to be greatly effective for the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. According to a survey conducted by Statista in September 2022, 20% of fans strongly supported sponsor patches, compared to only 10% of fans strongly against them.

For the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, the sponsorship has worked greatly towards their goal of increasing milk and dairy’s relevance. According to the DFO’s annual report for the 2023 year, “The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to gain traction through the sweater patch with 11.1 billion impressions netting out in a media value of $11 million for the 2022-2023 season and many moments of consumption in-venue took place.” Although the sponsorship cost has not been revealed publicly, it is known that the deal was for multiple years, and it can be assumed that the media value gained from impressions will continue to increase as the team sees success. 

Not only does this partnership benefit the brands that sponsor the jerseys, but it also benefits the league tremendously. According to a report by the Sports Business Journal, the NHL’s team sponsorship revenue grew 21% from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023, totaling an estimated $1.28 billion. 

Per the report, the league’s helmet deals are estimated at $91.2 million annually, while jersey patch deals are at $32.2 million. While not every sponsor has readily available reports on the netted media value, it can be assumed that the costs per impression for these sponsorships are extremely slim.

Late Adopters

The MLB is the latest league to permit jersey sponsorship, with the league permitting sponsors in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement with the player’s association last summer. Unfortunately, there is not much data similar to the NBA or NHL on its benefits for the league and brands because of this recency. However, it can be noted that many of the teams that currently have a jersey sponsorship are using this to promote regional businesses to national or even global audiences.

According to Sponsor United, 82% of the MLB teams with jersey patches have partnered with brands hailing from the same market as the teams, highlighting the “unique connection with their local fan bases, showcasing the importance of community, and giving many brands both national and global visibility.” 

However, one question remains: where is the NFL in all this? The premier American Football League is a media giant, generating over $19.5 billion in revenue each year. Yet, the NFL currently has no jersey sponsorship patches and likely won’t for the next few seasons. 

As seen in data from the other leagues, this lack of involvement with jersey sponsors means revenue lost for each year they don’t enter. So, how much revenue exactly are they losing?

Turnstile, a company dedicated to sponsorship valuations, analyzed the NFL at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. According to them, the league is missing out on an estimated $673 million each season in revenue due to needing a sponsorship patch program. This is broken into the benefits value, the exposure value, and the intellectual property (IP) value that the program would provide, as shown in the graph above. 

However, this analysis fails to consider that the league actually does have sponsorships already, just not for jerseys. An article on the 2023 season’s revenue analyzed by SponsorsUnited outlines that the league’s data “shows team sponsorship revenue increased by 15%, from $2.05 billion last season to $2.35 billion this season. The combined NFL spending of the top 10 categories surpassed the total sponsorship revenues of the MLB, NHL, MLS, and NBA, respectively.” Thus, it can be argued that although the league could benefit from jersey sponsors, they are quite well off as is. 

What’s next for sponsorship in sports? Could we see more leagues adopting similar programs in the United States and internationally? Could these sponsorships expand into fan merchandise like the Detroit Red Wings have adopted? Although the answers are unclear, time will tell. In the meantime, we can continue to pay and watch our favorite teams, in person and over streaming, along with the companies that paid to be there, too.