Advertising best practice, evidence and insights

What we know about bricolage and semiotics

Article • WARC Best Practice, August 2019

Summarises the insights from key papers on the topic of bricolage (how different materials are used in the creative process of understanding) and semiotics (the study of signs and symbols) – techniques used by qualitative researchers to deliver cultural insight.

What we know about cultural insight

Article • WARC Best Practice, April 2019

This article explores the current sources informing how brands and agencies can use cultural insight, the ideas, customs and behaviour of particular people.

The seventh-year itch: When weirdos become mainstream

Article • Sam Peña-Taylor, Event Reports, MRS Impact conference, March 2020

When it comes to cool-hunting, brand strategist Lida Hujić has been in the front line and has developed ideas that build on existing notions of innovation diffusion.

Ahmini: The Uncovered

Case Study • Melek Ourir, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Telco provider Tunisie Telecom harnessed the power of mobile to help bring about social change in Tunisia.

Burger King: Who said men don't cry?

Case Study • Ali Khalil, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

QSR brand Burger King targeted young Saudis with a social media 'trolling' campaign featuring football icon Sami Al-Jaber to drive sales of its new spicy menu across Saudi Arabia.

Donner Sang Compter (DSC): Blood Unity

Case Study • Tahaab Rais, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Donner Sang Compter (DSC), an NGO promoting voluntary blood donation, hijacked an outdated tradition to increase awareness of the importance of donating blood in Lebanon.

Jawwy: The Fair Telco Company

Case Study • Mario Morby, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Mobile telecom brand Jawwy used entertaining video content to resonate with Saudi youth, and achieve positive results in terms of both short-term sales and long-term brand building.

Burger King: Burjer Kinj

Case Study • Ali Khalil, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

QSR brand Burger King created a social media, outdoor and in-restaurant campaign based on the Arabic pronunciation of 'burger' to increase Whopper sales and reignite interest in the brand in Saudi Arabia.

The future of Indian brands lies in storytelling not jingoism

Article • Shormistha Mukherjee, WARC Exclusive, July 2020

Flying Cursor Interactive’s Shormistha Mukherjee argues that for Indian consumers look up to Indian brands, the answer doesn't lie in patriotism, but in storytelling.

Black Lives Matter movement forces brands’ marketing review

News • 23 June 2020

Several major brands are undertaking reviews of logos and marketing messages in the light of the now-global Black Lives Matter protests and the broader debate over racial equality.

Asians can't resist deals – and the physiological evidence proves it

Article • Mehak Bharti and Sharon Ng, WARC Exclusive, June 2020

Do deals evoke deeper unconscious desires within Asians that make it difficult for them to resist? New research by Nanyang Business School suggests, yes.

NRMA learns the hard way

News • 05 June 2020

Bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 outbreak have forced Australian insurer NRMA to be flexible about plans – and it has learned some key lessons about adapting quickly.

From Koalas to Coronavirus: How NRMA Insurance learnt to move at the speed of culture

Article • Catherine Rushton, WARC COVID-19 Series, June 2020

Mindshare’s Catherine Rushton outlines lessons learnt with insurance brand NRMA in responding to back-to-back events from bushfires to COVID-19.

How Toyota identifies the most attractive multicultural opportunities and builds bespoke programs

Article • Geoffrey Precourt, WARC Exclusive, June 2020

Toyota, the automaker, is seeking to engage with multicultural audiences in relevant, authentic ways as it drives brand metrics and sales.

Fixing the asymmetry of art, culture and commerce

Opinion • Jed Hallam, June 2020

Brands can play a vital role in rebuilding culture, spreading great ideas and creating a legacy that goes beyond revenues and profits, argues Jed Hallam, Chief Strategy Officer at Initiative.

Mattel: Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Barbie

Case Study • SABRE Awards, Gold, North America, 2020

Barbie, a toy brand produced by Mattel, celebrated its 60th anniversary in the US by creating one-of-a-kind dolls modelled on various female role models and raising funds for organisations aimed at leveling the playing field for women.

What we know about marketing to Generation X

Article • WARC Best Practice, May 2020

Generation X is often overlooked by advertisers, however brands must reflect the independent spirit of this demographic in order to engage them, as many Generation X-ers do not recognise their depiction in contemporary advertising.

Change doesn’t just happen during a global pandemic

Opinion • Rob Campbell, May 2020

Marketing in the COVID-19 crisis This article is part of a special WARC Snapshot focused on enabling brand marketers to re-strategise amid the unprecedented disruption caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Taboo subjects that brands must avoid in China

News • 15 May 2020

International brands have always had to tread carefully in China, where an appreciation of local culture is essential, but with nationalism on the rise and sensitivity about the origins of coronavirus prevalent, communication tailored to Chinese ...

In Japan, romance blossoms in the time of COVID

News • 14 May 2020

Disaster leads people to consider life’s more profound aspects; just as marriage spiked in the year after the 2011 tsunami and earthquake, something similar appears to be happening now amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Eight strategies to serve grocery shoppers during COVID-19

Article • Callum Saunders, WARC COVID-19 Series, May 2020

As the initial COVID-19 crisis wears on, grocery retailers need to think longer term to service customer’s new needs and behaviours.

Marketing across the spectrum of Indonesia’s youth market

Article • Voon Tai, WARC Exclusive, April 2020

Geometry Global’s Voon Tai dives into the distinct sub-groups that make up Indonesia’s youth population and argues for a nuanced and hyper-local approach for genuine consumer connections.

Burger King: Who said men don't cry?

Case Study • Ali Khalil, WARC Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Social Strategy, 2020

To win over young Saudis, QSR brand Burger King joined their conversation via a social stunt that trolled one of their most famous football icons.

Burger King: Celebrating Subcultures

Case Study • Jimmy George, Annabelle Butler, WARC Awards, Silver, Effective Social Strategy, 2020

Quick-Service Restaurant chain Burger King created a content engine to become loved and talked-about online in order to grow visitation among iGen and young millennials in the US.

Best practices for purpose-driven marketing from the WARC Awards, Cannes Lions and Ogilvy Awards

Article • Geoffrey Precourt, Event Reports, ARF Virtual Town Hall, March 2020

The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), the trade body, and Kantar, the research firm, identified several best practices for purpose-driven marketing.

Cultural insight