For decades now, what was once an upstart kids cable channel, Nickelodeon, has been the go-to pay-cable choice for countless millions of kids. The network produced and aired content that defined many aspects of childhood for at least two generations of American youth, and now the company is looking at expanding that influence into the digital content space.

At the height of the news of closures due to novel coronavirus, Nickelodeon injected some much-needed good news into the cycle by announcing the launch of the #KidsTogether initiative, billed as a “global, multiplatform, prosocial” enterprise that leverages popular Nickelodeon characters to help teach kids and families to stay healthy, as well as suggesting activities for them to do while stuck at home.

Characters from SpongeBob, Blue’s Clues, and Henry Danger, among others, are featured in content that is intended to be “an additional resource” for parents while, at the same time, offering “kid-directed information” about family time and staying healthy. In a statement announcing the release, Nickelodeon said: “Nickelodeon is in its 40^th year, the number one entertainment brand for kids. (We) built a diverse global business by putting kids first.”

This new release underscores that mission, helping to educate, inspire, and encourage kids, especially those who might be frightened and worried, stuck at home away from friends and familiar routines. As corporate responses to this pandemic go, this is a good one, and a great example of what a company can do when it seeks to exemplify the vision of the brand.

There are a few things about this endeavor that could serve as a positive example for brands looking to branch out, to serve, or to help, especially right now.

Nickelodeon did not stray far from what they know and understand. The company is using its own popular, branded personalities and characters to produce short-form videos, as well as digital and downloadable activities for kids stuck at home.

The company is accustomed to producing content for kids across multiple different media, so this was just a shift in content and, somewhat, in tone, rather than a full departure from the familiar. In addition, Nickelodeon used properties that are familiar and connected with the brand, so the audience will be drawn in and enthusiastic to connect.

Another positive move: they kept it simple and central. Users will be directed to a central online source for all the new content, so they will find what they want all in one place. That single destination point allows Nickelodeon to focus the marketing funnel in a way that aggregates even as it brings fans together. They’re coming to the same place, but for different content for different reasons. This gives the brand data it marketers can use to produce more of the kinds of digital content users prefer.

So, a smart PR decision, coupled with clear marketing goals allows Nickelodeon to make a larger jump into a new media marketplace, all the while offering kids and parents something both of them will be looking for.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations. 5W PR is a leading digital pr and influencer marketing agency.

The combined population of the African-American, Latino and Asian communities in the U.S. today is about 130 million or nearly half the entire population. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that by the middle of this year, kids who are nonwhite will collectively outnumber white children and that the U.S. will become minority white in 2045. But should all this really matter to marketers?

There’s an ongoing debate among marketers about the state of multicultural marketing. Some say that multicultural marketing is dead because of the many different minority populations. Others argue that it’s more important than ever. In some aspects, both sides are correct.

Early Adopters

National restaurant chain Denny’s already started targeting young multicultural diners with its “See You at Denny’s” ad campaign. Its Chief Brand Officer, John Dillon, said that as a family brand, they felt it important to “speak to the cultural nuances” of different  audiences as well as to share what Denny’s stood for.

Consider Procter & Gamble. One of the reasons the consumer product giant has not only survived but thrived over its 182-year history is because of its adaptability and flexibility. Last year, they reported more than $68 billion in revenue. In speaking last fall to the Association of National Advertisers’ Multicultural Marketing and Diversity Conference, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer, Marc Pritchard, revealed that the company set new highs in its market share of African American and Hispanic audiences.

Looking Ahead

What will need to change is the realization and acknowledgement that these audiences are different and that communications will have to be tailored for each. A recent study by Adobe revealed a huge failure of today’s brands in reaching minorities. Only 10% of Latinos and 26% of African-Americans believe they’re being represented in today’s ads, compared to three out of four whites.

To market to the changing demographic, one size will no longer fit all. Marketers will need to recognize that a blanket approach won’t work for everything. It may still work for brands everyone needs and desires but can differ after that.

A study by Kantar Consulting found that 62% of Hispanic young consumers are becoming more interested in speaking Spanish. 57% of all Hispanics surveyed also felt that the Spanish language is more important today than it was five years ago. 92% said it was important to them that they retain their culture.

The results of the Kantar study reveal an important thing for marketers. To reach this growing market, marketers need to seriously consider Hispanic talent, not just in ads but also for guidance on themes and emotions that will help make the connection with that community.

Other considerations for marketers looking to serve communities of color include joining multicultural marketing and public relations groups. Many offer tailored courses that can deliver invaluable insights and perspectives.

Check out and learn more about cross-cultural and poly-cultural marketing, as they are becoming more important, too. Consider forming different customer advisory committees of different ethnic groups that can provide deep insight and advice for marketing efforts. Minority communities having a sense of voice and ownership could also add credibility to a brand seeking to expand its audience.

Everyone loves holiday meals, but nobody likes cleaning up afterward. For those of us who dread after-dinner dishes, Procter & Gamble has a timely consumer PR message: You’re not imagining things. Your “old” detergent isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

Both the timing and the content of the message offer an interesting window into effective, cleverly passive, consumer PR. Speaking about its Dawn brand dishwashing liquid, which debuted back in 1972, P&G says modern cooks aren’t washing dishes like people used to, and that means their dish soap isn’t working as it’s meant to.

Here’s their reasoning: Most of today’s consumers wash dishes during lulls in cooking, one or two at a time, rather than piling them all in the sink for one final wash when the cooking (and eating) are done. It’s the latter, not the former, that P&G says Dawn was designed to handle. Speaking to the media, Morgan Brashear, a senior scientist at P&G, said: “People are more time-starved, and they see clean as you go as a life hack. The product they’re using isn’t keeping up.”

Brashear says this scenario led to several years of research by P&G scientists, resulting in a new and improved product, Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray. According to marketing literature, the new spray product doesn’t require water to activate cleaning suds. While the new product has a higher cost than traditional dish soap, P&G is hoping effective consumer PR and targeted marketing will help convince people it’s worth the price.

A P&G rep called the product launch a “revolution in the category.” They follow this assertion with advertising messaging that hits right to the core of what people hate about washing dishes – all the time-wasting soaking followed by scrubbing to get caked on food off.

The timing of this messaging is a passive, but effective, key to the PR campaign. Coming between two of the biggest family feast days of the year – Thanksgiving and Christmas – when people are thinking about the frustrations of cleaning all those dirty dishes. Connecting with that emotional trigger allows P&G to sink their message in deeper with consumers, bypassing some of the natural objection to paying more for the product.

While the numbers are not out, it’s likely P&G sold a good many new Dawn Powerwash spray bottles to people out and about doing their regular holiday meal prep shopping. The psychology is as simple as it is effective: you’re already splurging on food you would not normally buy, as well as other things you need for the best ever holiday meal. A couple extra bucks on a spray bottle is no big deal, especially if it means getting the dishes done faster when all your family and friends are over.

Thinking about this product launch from that perspective is a reminder about the power of timing and targeted messaging in conjunction with new product PR.

According to a recent report from Salesforce, customers are placing a heightened sense of importance on their experience with a brand now more than ever before. In previous marketing generations, what mattered most was the product or the service being sold and the value a customer received for their purchase. Now, however, marketing has become a more vital part of a customer’s life cycle with a brand and the user experience can no longer be considered outside of marketing’s hands.

Several factors have influenced this shift towards the favor of quality user experiences. For one, we now live in a world in which instant gratification has become somewhat of a norm and competition can be cutthroat. In order to have a hope of gaining traction in an increasingly crowded consumer market, a brand must offer the quickest responses, the best prices or value, and the best marketing campaign intent on capturing new audience members. This is far from an easy process.

In an effort to combat the competition, more brands are turning to user experience to make themselves stand out from the crowd.

Apple is a pioneer of this concept, helping shape the idea of experiential marketing well before other mainstream brands caught on to the effect. Visiting an Apple store is an experience — the minimalist store design is soothing, even in the most crowded spaces. There’s a lot of tactile feedback, customers are able to see, touch, and use the devices they’re considering. Everything is visually appealing and pleasant, so much so that the concept has become what Apple is known for. Soon, Apple was opening flagship stores with even more amenities and features for discerning shoppers. Shopping for Apple products became a destination event.

For this and other reasons, it’s no surprise that Apple consistently ranks near the top for customer experience. Other businesses can take pages from Apple’s book, learning ways to appeal to customers in a way that leaves them with a memorable experience.

Often, soliciting feedback from those outside of a brand’s organization can help paint a picture of what the user experience is for a customer. In many cases, those within the company are so close to their products that it can be difficult to pragmatically assess the scenario from a consumer’s perspective.

A brand may miss simple opportunities to connect with customers, such as the persona with which the brand’s platforms speak to consumers. Or perhaps the customer service team needs to take a more pleasant tone when they’re corresponding with customers. In other cases, perhaps the customer is simply just not having a memorable enough experience with the brand to rank their user experience favorably.

Consider introducing ways that customers can tailor their experience. User testing options such as quizzes or questionnaires can help a brand identify more customized experiences that may appeal to customers. Even giving customers control over what type of communications they receive from a brand can increase the satisfaction they feel with their user experience.

Salesforce’s report shows that 80 percent of customers say that their experience with a company matters just as much as the product or service for which they’re shopping. This is an important statistic for businesses to take to heart as they design their marketing and customer experience strategies for the months to come.