Catalyst Marketing

When we were combing through CMI’s most recent B2B content marketing data, one stat stopped us in our tracks:

Only 29% of B2B marketers say their content marketing strategy is effective.

If you follow us (or read the data yourselves), you probably remember that content marketing strategy is strongly correlated with performance. In fact, top performers were nearly three times as likely to say their strategy was effective. (And only 2% of low performers said they had an effective strategy in place).

In other words, your outcomes are only as good as your strategy.

In other other words, strategy is, has, and ever will be king.   

So, what do we do when we see stats like this? We stop, reprioritize strategy, and move forward on a path that aligns with our real goals.

1. Stop (seriously, stop).

Marketing is so go-go-go, work-fast-break-stuff that it’s easy to just keep beating the same dead horses for fear that if we stop, we’ll lose momentum.

But momentum in the wrong direction is just wasted effort. Time spent on ineffective tactics is time wasted.  

When you realize something isn’t working, it’s time to stop and make time for strategy.

Now, to do this, leadership needs to be on board. Because too often marketing teams are measured on outputs (rather than outcomes, which…let’s table that rant for another time) and stopping to prioritize strategy, brand conversations, and other foundational tasks can look like a halt in progress or a lack of productivity.

Since it’s actually a pause to fix cracks in your very marketing foundations, it’s vital that leadership understands what you are doing and that workers understand they won’t be penalized for producing “less” as you pause to get the train back on the rails.

2. Re-center on your values, goals, and customer needs.

What does your company do? What do they stand for? Who do they serve? What do your customers care about? What are your values? What are your goals?

Your strategy should answer all these questions and align every single other thing you do to those goals, customer needs, and values.

If your tactics have gone off the rails, chances are you’ve come out of alignment (or never were aligned) with at least one of those things. (In fact, about half of B2B marketers said their strategy lacked clear goals). And it’s time to get back on track.

Another reality is that sometimes company goals or values change, and the strategy and tactics aren’t updated to reflect that. Taking the time to fix this now will push you toward that top performer category in the coming year(s).

3. Be realistic about your capabilities.

Doing good work takes time and resources. And sometimes leadership gets a little delulu about how much we can squeeze into an hour or a single person’s workload. Part of the goal of your strategy should be to realistically assess your resources.

Do you have enough talent to tackle the things you want to? Do you have the skills in house or from an agency you can partner with? Do you need more headcount? Do you have enough budget?

Strategy should never be disconnected from the reality of schedules, headcount, and responsibilities. Can you have realistic goals and also stretch goals? Of course! But when we set company goals, benchmarks, and the tactics that will come from our strategy, it should be based on the reality of what our teams can achieve.

The fact that the biggest challenge cited by B2B marketers is resourcing (and that 23% say their content strategy sets unrealistic expectations) tells me that most companies aren’t doing a great job with this—and the strategy phase is where and when we should start fixing it.

4. Ditch what isn’t working (and be ruthless).

Tactics that don’t align with your goals? Processes that take up time and offer no value? Features you’re working on that customers simply don’t want?

It’s time to give them a swift kick out the door.

You have limited resources. Prioritize them where they make the biggest real impact.

This means letting go of ineffective projects even if you have already poured tons of time and resources into them.

It means restructuring employee evaluations to reflect your new strategy and values (so that they don’t feel compelled to work on low-priority or ineffective items in order to hit outdated metrics).

And it means being honest with yourself when something no longer works.

Getting back to strategy

CMI noted of its recent research that the same problem crops up every single year. And the truth is that this is because we aren’t prioritizing fixing it.

If you want to nip that in the bud this year, now’s the time to hit the brakes.

And if you need help convincing leadership, formulating a strategy that actually works, and aligning your marketing with said strategy? That’s what we’re here for. Reach out anytime.

What marketers can learn from Super Bowl advertising (even if they don’t have $7 million to spend on a 30-second ad spot)

This year’s Super Bowl was a record-setting one—drawing in an estimated 126 million viewers (approximately 3 million more than last year) and costing advertisers (at least) a whopping $7 million for a 30-second commercial spot. 

Yep. $7 million.

That’s 55% more than 2019.

That’s also a reach of approximately 18 people per dollar spent (5.5 cents per person).

Compare that to the average TikTok CPM (cost for 1000 impressions) of $9.16 (0.009 cents per person) and the average Instagram CPM of $8.58 (0.0085), and Super Bowl ads feel a little pricey even at the per-person scale. That said, our TikTik or Instagram ads are way less likely to make best ad lists on massive platforms like Vogue, become memes, or turn into viral sensations, too.

But I digress.

For most of our marketing departments, the $7 million price tag is out of reach. So weighing the pros and cons isn’t a particularly helpful way to spend our time.

What is always helpful is looking at the lessons our big-budget counterparts are experiencing on a national stage. So what can those of us with startups, growing businesses, or niche audiences learn from the big ad wins of Super Bowl season?

Here are three lessons we think are resonant at any budget:

1. Choose more frequent exposure over longer exposure

It’s a truth universally acknowledged in marketing that the more exposure customers have to your products, the more likely they are to reach for them on a (virtual or physical) shelf.

Known as the mere exposure effect, this insight comes to us from a 1968 study that concluded that people have more positive feelings about familiar things—and that familiarity simply requires repeated exposure. 

Which is why author and keynote speaker Roger Dooley insightfully points out (via Forbes) that companies would do better to spend their money on more frequent, shorter ads rather than splurging on one of the 90-second ($20 million) Super Bowl spots.

Outside the Super Bowl, this truth still rings true. Instead of spending our whole marketing budget on a big-ticket push, a web of connected efforts and constant exposure is more likely to reap the rewards we’re after.

Notably, this is not the right strategy if your brand is facing down the barrel of a PR disaster. The mere exposure effect works best with products that have no negative associations, and when the consumer isn’t even really aware they’re seeing the product (which is part of why getting a book on a shelf in the background of an SNL skit or a branded drink in the hand of a celebrity in an iconic photo are such massive wins).

2. Emotion (still, always) sells

Every year, there are a few standout ads that leave people breathless because they hit on a universal human emotion.

This year, Google Pixel knocked it out of the park, showing us the journey of fatherhood as it relates to learning not only life but work skills. Dove showed up with their always-relevant true beauty campaign. And Nike filled us with pride and motivation with their “So Win” ad.

It’s always important to re-center ourselves in the truth that people buy (both on the B2C and B2B side of things) for emotional reasons. Trust. Care. A feeling that a brand aligns with our values. That they’ll show up in the world how we want to show up in the world. That they stand with us.

Ads that take this truth into account do better, reach farther, get more shares, and win more loyalty—whether on a national stage or a local one.

3. Keep it weird

We’ve said it before (and before, and before), and we’ll say it again:

Unless your brand is a bank or emergency service, people love weird ads. They tickle the novelty-seeking parts of our brains. They grab our difficult-to-come-by attention spans. They stand out in an ever-more-crowded market.

There’s a reason Uber Eats’ conspiracy theory ad racked up this year’s industry accolades. There’s also a reason Dunkin Donuts brought back their relentlessly silly DunKings for a second year. Ads that don’t take themselves too seriously, ads that give us a break from the stressors of our lives, ads that make fun…they work.

In summary

The foundations of the winning Super Bowl ads are the same foundations that all good advertising stands on. And when we think about winning big with our own strategies this year, that’s what we’re focused on: standing on tried-and-true foundations with our strategies even as we stretch ourselves with new tactics, technologies, and channels.

And if you need some help with your strategic foundations (or emotional, weird, and tech-forward advertising tactics), we’re always just an email away.

Twenty-seven years of silence. Then BOOM! Nike crashes back into Super Bowl advertising like your coolest aunt showing up fashionably late to the family reunion. But hey, when you’re about to flip the entire sports narrative on its head, timing isn’t just everything… it’s the whole game. And on February 9th, 2025, Nike didn’t just crash advertising’s biggest party, they redefined it with their winning message.

Picture this: The most-watched television event in America, traditionally dominated by beer-chugging bros and muscle car fantasies, is suddenly interrupted by a squad of athletic goddesses who clearly missed the memo about “staying in their lane.” In their electrifying “So Win.” spot, Nike assembled an Avengers-level lineup of sports titans. Caitlin Clark’s basketball sorcery, Sha’Carri Richardson’s track-burning speed, Aja Wilson’s court dominance, Aryna Sabalenka’s tennis fury, Jordan Chiles’ gravity-defying gymnastics, each one a living testament to what happens when you hear “you can’t” and respond with “watch me.”

The Revolutionaries’ Playbook

Each frame of this masterpiece takes a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling. “You can’t challenge. You can’t be demanding. You can’t be emotional.” But instead of accepting these barriers, Nike flips the script, transforming each “you can’t” that’s ever been hurled at women into a dare. “You can’t put yourself first, so put yourself first.” The message builds to its powerful crescendo: “Whatever you do, you can’t win. So win.” It’s not just defiance, it’s a revolution in sixty seconds.

Perfect Timing, Perfect Stage

The timing of the ad? Chef’s kiss. 10 out of 10. No notes. Nike boldly declared “Make room” on a male-centered stage, choosing the Super Bowl—the holy grail of masculinity in sports—to unveil their feminine tour de force – which is nothing short of brilliant. Nike saw an opportunity to make waves with this current momentum and ran (as fast as Sha’Carri) right to advertising’s biggest stage.

This timing aligns perfectly with an unprecedented surge in women’s sports popularity and viewership. College sensation Caitlin Clark is shattering records on the court and the TV, with her games drawing millions of viewers. The WNBA just logged its most-watched season in 24 years. Women’s soccer viewership has skyrocketed and female athletes are commanding attention and respect like never before, especially after last summer’s Olympic Games.

The Voice of Victory

Behind every revolution, there’s a voice that ignites it (in this case, narrates it). And Nike? They chose a Grammy-winning match to light their fuse. Enter Doechii, fresh off her historic Grammy win and apparently allergic to the word “can’t.” Just like Nike, Doechii understands perfect timing. She dropped a new song, “Nosebleeds,” shortly after winning her Grammy with lyrics that feel like they were stolen from Nike’s creative brief: “Will she ever lose? Man, I guess we’ll never know.” (Spoiler alert: She won’t, and they’re shook.) Doechii is the third black woman to ever win Best Rap Album at the Grammy’s, and in her acceptance speech she speaks exactly to what Nike’s ad digs at:

“Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony.”

Just a week later, her voice takes center stage in Nike’s ad, shown to millions of eyeballs across the country. The universe really said “hold my trophy” with this one. Imagine having your voice chosen to narrate a female empowerment ad for one of the biggest brands that is set to debut on advertising’s biggest stage right after you’ve made history and defied odds in your own industry… that’s the perfect victory lap if you ask me. Nike didn’t just pick any voice; they strategically picked their moment’s messenger, a living embodiment of what happens when determination drowns out doubt.

A Personal Revolution

As a women-owned business in a male-dominated space, this ad resonates on a deeply personal level. Every time we’ve heard “you can’t compete with big agencies” or “you can’t handle major accounts,” we’ve responded with our own version of “so win.” Nike’s message mirrors our daily reality: the constant push against predetermined limitations, the refusal to accept artificial boundaries, and the determination to excel not despite being women, but because we bring unique strength and perspective to the table.

We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again. Less than one percent of ad agencies are women-owned, and we’re proud to be in that one percent. We’ve been making waves in the industry with our very existence since day one, so Nike’s “So Win.” ad validates every obstacle, every hurdle, every mountain we’ve had to climb to get exactly where we are today. 

More Than an Ad—A Movement

The “So Win.” campaign is more than just an advertisement; it’s a manifesto for every woman who’s been told to stay in her lane. It’s Nike looking at every barrier, every doubt, every dismissive comment ever thrown at women, and saying, “Watch this.”

For brands looking to make a statement, take notes. This is how you do it without pandering. This is how you create something that doesn’t just capture attention but commands it. This is how you turn limitations into launching pads. And for women-owned businesses like ours, it’s a powerful reminder that the biggest stages belong to us, too—we just have to claim them.

Ready to create something unforgettable? Let’s talk.

Eighty-six years ago, the US Fair Labor Standards Act set a single minimum wage regardless of gender.

Sixty years ago, The Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, origin, national origin, or sex.

Nineteen years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that you cannot legally punish someone for complaining about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Sixteen years ago, California became the first state to require that companies include women in their boards of directors.

Yet today, women around the US are watching as some of the hard-won steps toward equality of these past decades are rolled back or thrown into jeopardy. Our futures feel uncertain. And there’s a metric ton of anxiety weighing down our collective souls (with Handmaid’s Tale memes flying and Google searches for “how to move abroad” on the upswing).

We’re a women-owned business, so you know we give a damn. But we’re also not quick to board the doom train. So we’re not here to add to the panic, but to remind us all of something simple and important:

Together, we are powerful.

It is the hard work and collective action of those who came before us that gave us non-discrimination laws, that changed societal perspectives, that gave us a world where 61% of US men support affirmative action for women and 69% of men say they are actively championing women in their workplace.

And it is our hard work and collective action that will make tomorrow what it is for ourselves and the generations to come (which was true before the election just as much as it is now).

So, what can we as individuals do in a deeply uncertain political climate?

We’re experts in marketing and business, so we’ll stay in that lane (if you want suggestions for political action, finding local mutual aid and political organizations is a good start!). On the business side, here are some things we’d love to see more of from every person who cares about women:

1. Support women-owned businesses.

We aren’t saying this just for the sake of equity. We’re also saying it because women-owned businesses get shit done. In fact, in the tech industry, women-owned businesses report 35% higher ROI. They outperform men’s businesses by 63%.

Should we support women for the sake of equity? Absolutely. But should we also recognize that when we support women’s businesses, that has a positive ripple effect into our economies and communities? Yes, we absolutely should.

Not to mention that women-owned businesses have better gender-equity not just at the top but all the way down. Reports as far back as 2014 found that women-owned businesses were made up (on average) of about 44% women employees (compared to 37% in male-owned businesses).

2. Pay attention to the trends.

Middle management has a gender problem—and it’s a fixable one, but not if we ignore it! Pay attention to what’s happening on a macro level for women in the workplace, read the research, and share those findings widely. If we don’t know about problems, we can’t solve them. If we don’t alert leadership to issues, they can’t address them.

3. Recommend women.

Research tells us that when it comes to referrals on the job, people tend to recommend other people who are demographically similar to them.

In other words: if you’re white, you’re more likely to recommend a white person. If you’re a man, you’re more likely to recommend a man. This is a totally unconscious thing (we’re not calling anyone out)—and it’s a preventable one.

If you’re a man who wants to uplift women, keep track of the women in your circle who are looking for jobs. Make a list of women freelancers you trust. And recommend them when the opportunity arises. It’s a pretty simple mission that can make a real difference to gender equity in the workspace (especially if you work in a male-dominated company or field).

Same thing if you are a white person and are committed to anti-racist action. Same thing if you are abled and want to uplift the disabled community (a group statistically drastically underemployed).

4. Promote women.

Companies with women in leadership perform better in the marketplace, so this shouldn’t be a hard sell. But the other thing women in leadership do (in general) is make workplaces safer for other women.

In a political climate where legal protections for equal pay, equal rights, and workplace safety (from harassment and assault) are under threat, it’s more important than ever to have women in leadership in individual businesses. Women in leadership will be more likely to put in place (and take seriously) HR policies that promote equity and leave less room for harassment.

While not every woman is a person who will champion other women in the workplace, business trends show us (as in the stats above about women-owned businesses having more equitable hiring processes) that overall, having women in leadership promotes equity.

5. Support women day-to-day.

Losing rights and protections is scary and takes an emotional toll. So it’s more important than ever that we support and uplift women on a daily basis. I mean both in their career trajectories and their humanity.

The day after the US election, I saw a woman treating herself to a fancy breakfast in a nice café—and visibly (though quietly) crying. At least two different people in that café offered to pay for her breakfast (the café owner having the final say and not allowing anyone to pay for it, including the woman).

Now, maybe she wasn’t crying about the election. Maybe she was. Either way, multiple people in that café saw her and wanted to let her know that whatever she was going through, she was not alone.

And that’s really what every piece of advice above is about. Supporting women because it’s the smart thing to do (with women-owned businesses generally winning big economically and for employees). Supporting women because it’s the right thing to do in a world where what equity we do have is hard-won and embarrassingly recent. And supporting women because we’re all in this together.

An equitable world is a better world for everyone. And the work we do to push back against the biases and inequities built into old systems helps us all and makes us more connected.

So go forth: show up for a woman in your life. Show up for women-owned businesses. Show up for your women colleagues. And in doing so, show up for yourself. And if there’s a way we can show up for you, tell us.