Demi Ward
Lee, Dan, and Polly had some in-depth talks and debates about marketing to people who can’t purchase yet, the type of sales pitches that get conversions, and how to prepare PR campaigns to avoid any backlash, and taking accountability when something does go wrong.
Whether you’re a brand wanting to sell to our CEO (good luck!) or are looking to create PR strategies that convert without the backlash, then this one’s for you.
Lee and Dan explore why understanding these ‘influencers before buyers’ is essential for brand strategy, tone of voice, and long-term loyalty. Let’s make it known off the bat – no, we don’t mean Guinness should start promoting to children – there is a level of reason to this, of course.
This is definitely for brands who struggle to justify marketing to non-buyers, how to future-proof your audience strategy, or how brands like LEGO, Nike, and McDonald’s get it right (and what cringe campaigns to avoid).
Yes, Lee amended the famous Beyoncé lyrics (didn’t know he was a massive Queen B fan, learn something new every day).
And we learn even more when Dan shares some stats on how children influence their household, and they’re pretty wild.
Kids aren’t just part of the conversation; a lot of the time, they’re influencing these large and common purchasing decisions, so marketing your product to appeal to them before they can purchase could be crucial to your success.
I don’t think Lee’s the only one who’s had this experience, but he shared that his 2-year-old calls every tablet an ‘iPad.’ Brand cues can stick, and by pre-teens, this kind of brand preference sticks – I don’t even need stats, I think we all know that a lot of young people won’t settle for less than an iPhone.
For marketers, the lesson is simple – brand awareness starts early. If your brand is in the position to influence their journey now, they’ll bring you into their future purchasing decisions.
Like I’ve just mentioned, kids are pretty savvy when it comes to picking up brand cues, and missing that chance to embed your brand in someone’s mind early is a big risk. Yes, it obviously won’t cause you direct sales from the demographic, but it could influence household decisions, or create that emotional bond and associations that stick.
For example, think McDonald’s. The red and yellow signify them immediately. This kind of recognition takes years, so ignoring younger audiences today could cost you tomorrow.
When it comes to marketing to kids, the real responsibility lies with the platforms.
Technology is advancing so quickly that brands could scale content, get shut down, pivot, and repeat almost autonomously. Platforms like Meta have enormous reach, starting from age 13.
But their mission is clear: shareholder value first.
That means ethical responsibilities, like protecting younger audiences, often take a backseat. It’s a tension every brand and marketer should be aware of when navigating these platforms.
From the lure of virality and awards culture to the real cost of brand misalignment, they have all the details about how to protect your next big moment from becoming your next big crisis.
Small, loyal communities now hold more power than ever. For PR campaigns, a thousand people engaged with your content can be enough to shake up the algorithms. You don’t have to have this massive following or shout the loudest anymore to build successful PR campaigns; it’s about having resonance within your community.
Not really. There’s always going to be variables you can’t control when it comes to PR campaigns, as we are all nuanced people. You don’t know how someone is feeling on the day they see your campaign. The best strategies can’t account for emotions sometimes.
What you can do is lower the risk, considering potential downfalls and how to mitigate issues. You can also control your reaction, even if you can’t manage perception.
You’ve made a mistake…an oversight. How do you handle it?
Take Arc’teryx, for example. They launched fireworks in the Himalayas, which started a global backlash. It wasn’t just about the stunt. It was about what it said. A brand built on outdoor respect, setting off explosives in a sacred landscape? It jarred with everything their audience believed in.
Lee Fuller, Flaunt Digital CEO
When it comes to Arc’teryx’s response to their tone deaf campaign, a genuine apology, followed by real action, would have spoken volumes. If you’re audience feels betrayed, addressing the situation and taking accountability is the best way to earn back trust than ignoring the issue altogether.
It’s not a weakness to own up – it’s leadership.
And don’t wallow in viral flops, try and see them as an opportunity. You’ve still got the attention. That’s energy that you can redirect. Silence, on the other hand, kills your opportunity.
Sometimes the flop could be the first chapter of your comeback.
Lee and Dan pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to be on the receiving end of endless sales pitches, from cold calls that miss the mark to the rare few that actually land. They even share how the lessons we have learned from receiving marketing comms has shaped our own approach.
If you’ve ever wondered how to get (and keep) a decision-maker’s attention, what real personalisation looks like, or how to turn a sales pitch into long-term brand trust, this one’s for you.
There’s a difference between being sold to and being spammed. Lee doesn’t even open emails sent to his alias address, because if you’ve done some digging, your email wouldn’t even land in there.
Personalisation isn’t about adding a first name; it ’s about proving you’ve done your homework, because if it feels like a copy-paste job, it’s likely to be popped in the virtual bin.
Your email might feel urgent to you, but it’s definitely not going to be at the top of the list for your prospect. If you get no response straight away, it doesn’t mean you’ve missed your shot.
Sometimes it works to play the long game, building that relationship with your prospect rather than sending constant follow-ups to avoid being an annoyance.
Lee Fuller, Flaunt Digital CEO
Lee shares details about the rare cold message that actually worked, which had three key characteristics.
What happened off the back of this? A podcast invite and a new connection.
If you want to stand out, stop with the hard sell and start connecting.
Behind every cold pitch is someone trying to make something happen in a battlefield of others trying to do the same. And while not every pitch is a fit, there is something to be said for acknowledging the effort.
Lee’s aware not every leader feels that way – some are too bombarded with emails to care. But empathy in sales and marketing goes a long way.
This is just a few key topics from the podcasts, and there’s plenty more where they come from.
Check out the full episodes wherever you get your podcasts! I’ll be back next month for more top tips from our experts.
