R3LATIONSHIPS (3 November 2021) – Welcome to our monthly issue of R3LATIONSHIPS.

When the company formerly known as Facebook renames itself Meta, you know that the metaverse is no passing matter. Even Microsoft is launching business tools for this new digital world. Will a metaverse marketing strategy become a necessity like social media? Join us and the ANA on November 11 as we talk about the marketing supply chain in the metaverse. If you’d like to learn more, reach out and let us know.

Will Meta’s Behavior Impact Ad Spend?
Meta’s family of apps has become so ingrained in the daily life of consumers that a user exodus is unlikely. “While brand affinity might be dropping, their MAUs continues to climb. So, no, until there is a dramatic shift in usage, we believe marketers will continue to spend on Meta’s various platforms,” says R3’s Greg Paull.
Read the article on Campaign

From Culture to Contracts: Committing to Diversity & Inclusion in Marketing
While we need to nurture workplace cultures that are affirmative of individual identity, giving too much focus on getting the culture right can eclipse an area where change can be more quickly felt – change at a contractual level, writes R3’s Shufen Goh. The power of weaving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into contracts is to make action non-debatable. Read more

Your CAC Is On the Rise. What Next?
According to Revealbot (an automation platform), the average cost per thousand (CPM) impressions on Facebook during the week of September 13, 2021, has risen by 54% since mid-December 2019. Don’t let customer acquisition costs (CAC) become the new rent. As digital marketing becomes more expensive, over-reliance on paid advertising can be a risk overlooked by digital-native brands. Request the report

What Does China’s Crackdown Mean for Global Marketers?
LinkedIn, Everlane, New Look, and Yahoo are just a few brands that have announced their exit from China after the government released a suite of regulatory changes affecting media ownership, consumer privacy, and celebrity culture. Other brands like Mercedes-Benz have doubled down in the country, acknowledging that China might become an ecosystem to itself, but an ecosystem that cannot be ignored. Read the article on Business Insider

Growing Loyalty In An Aggregator Economy
QSR brands are particularly susceptible to the aggregator economy as they rely on convenience. However, aggregators are vulnerable when it comes to cost transparency and rewards, and no brand wants to be faced with the equivalent of the ‘Amazon Problem’ where companies become reliant on a third-party infrastructure to power channels crucial to their business. Request the report