The world of digital marketing continues to evolve faster than you can say, “What the heck is Twitch?” Adoption of certain tactics has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Others are losing steam or facing new obstacles.

Is your head spinning yet? Relax. Take a deep breath. We’re here to ease your mind and narrow your focus. Here are three emerging digital marketing strategies you should be paying attention to right now:

Revolutionary.

It’s an accurate term to describe the impact that the growth of data-driven marketing has had over the past decade. Monumental. Radical. Immense. Those work, too. Regardless, the ability to more easily reach target audiences and measure performance has increased efficiency and reduced costs.

We could overwhelm you with stats and numbers and charts and graphs speaking to the power of video marketing. But we wouldn’t put you through that. No, instead we’re going to summon our inner Bill Nye and tout the benefits of video content through a blend of behavioral science, biology and even a little chemistry.

When was the last time you saw a Gen-Z teen walking down a sidewalk, oblivious to her surroundings, intently staring down at ... a brochure. Thought so. Take your tired pamphlets and toss them with yesterday's cafeteria fries. If you want to reach tomorrow's college students today, you have to hit them up (and speak their language) where they are, and we all know where that is: on their phones, specifically social media. Learn how to engage with this generation using Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram, and you'll see your campus visits spike.

As an industry professional, you know how difficult it is to stay on top of the ever-changing landscape of healthcare marketing. From new platforms to the always-expanding role of digital to the often-overwhelming amount of data and analytics, it all can be a bit much sometimes, right?

We’re here to help. Leaning on our extensive experience in healthcare marketing, along with takeaways from our recent attendance at the Summit on Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies plus some good old fashion research, we have identified five key statistics you need to know. We went a step further and provided easy, actionable tips you can incorporate as you try to keep pace in this challenging healthcare marketing race.

Bullying, we’ve all heard about it. We all know how wrong it is. I don’t like to preach or show spots that are not uplifting, but you need to see this.

It’s back to school time. Any retail store that sells school supplies is screaming for your attention. Deep discounts, variety, and convenience are all being waved in your face. But how about a little humor to go along with that #2 pencil? Meijer’s did this commercial a few years ago. I think you will enjoy it.

Advertisers are finding out that use of celebrities in their commercials can backfire. All it takes is one slip up on the part of that celebrity and your brand gets tarnished right along with them. These three brands had to pull advertisements and stop sponsorships with their celebrity spokespeople following a variety of scandals.

This week I want to present Google’s "Year in Search of 2016.” Now, you might say, it's 2017, why are you showing us 2016? The reason is that this is a great example of storytelling and finishing an ad that leaves you feeling positive about the circumstance and then, hopefully, the brand.

There are many patriotic commercials, but it wasn’t hard to choose this one. We are a country that his thrived on the sweat and sacrifice of our soldiers. 

In one minute Anheuser-Busch captured the feeling of a grateful nation. As we celebrate our nation's independence it is always worth a few extra seconds to remember and thank those that fight to keep us free.  

Have a great 4th of July from all of us at 6AM Marketing. 

Okay, it’s almost Father’s Day and I promised you some fun this week. Here are 3 short spots that will put a smile on your face.

As you think about Father’s Day I want to share a video with you that was done to honor dads.

It might be a good time for United Airlines to look to its past for inspiration on customer service.

With Mother’s Day coming up I thought I would post a great commercial whose theme is about Moms. 

Today I am asking you to spend a little more time than usual viewing a video done by Heineken. I know you will appreciate its importance.

This is a very recent commercial done for Pedigree dog food.

When you talk about disruptive you don’t have to look any further than Dollar Shave Club.

Several weeks ago I started a blog titled “You Deserve a Break Today.” It was a two-fold play on words. The first play referred back to an earlier career with McDonald’s. The second was meant to give you a two minute break from your day to watch a really cool commercial. Each week I send out a commercial that for one reason or another has caught the public’s fancy. You will get to see a commercial accompanied by brief explanation as to why it was successful.

Some say that our country is being torn apart. If you look at many ads produced recently, including this one, you will see that in general, the public gives favorable ratings to commercials that highlight our similarities versus our differences. This is an exceptionally well done spot that highlights and honors who WE are.

What is it?

Old Spice came out with a new series of commercials starring ex-NFL player Isaiah Mustafa that quickly became popular. The very first one had a theme about everything that could be possible if the audience’s man stopped using lady-scented body wash.

Today I am sharing a video that we at 6AM Marketing did for The Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund and Heat For Heroes. Before we got involved withThe Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund we had no idea that in Wisconsin alone we have 62,000 veterans who, on a regular basis have to choose between eating and heating. Thus came the inspiration to do a pledge where we promise to support our vets when they come home. Their fight, our fight should not continue when they come home. Please take a moment to watch the commercial, take the pledge and pass it along to your contacts. If you go to the pledgeforvets.com site you can take the pledge and donate if that works for you. 

Well, now that the Super Bowl is behind us everyone has their list of the best and worst commercials. The funny thing is, even among the experts, the lists vary. Just goes to show that you can't please everyone no matter what your ad is. Here are a couple of my favorites. One comedy and one aimed at social consciousness. Enjoy. Let me know your favorites if you can remember who produced them.

Since the Super Bowl is only about a week away, I thought I would show you the number one rated Super Bowl ad on You Tube.

Kind of sticking with football, this commercial was shown 33 years ago during the Superbowl. It was the introduction of the new Macintosh computer. In fact, the Macintosh rolled out on January, 10 1984.

It's basketball season. College hoops are in full swing and the NBA is half through their season. So, what better time to show one of the best basketball commercials ever. The stars of this McDonald's commercial are two Hall-of-Famers, none other than Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

What is it?

A young man finds "Mean Joe" after a football game and offers him his Coke.

What is is?

So, this isn't exactly my cup of tea but it was the most viewed video on You Tube last year. This is further proof how a great commercial can continue to pay back many times. See what millions of viewers saw. Enjoy.

What is it?

WestJet decided to do something extra special for some of their holiday travelers a few years ago. I am sure when these folks think of flying and when they are talking to their friends, they are thinking about WestJet.

What is it?

In order to bring some fun to the holidays and find an icon that would appeal to all (Who doesn't think polar bears are cute?) Coke started what would become a series of fun commercials that were meant to make us feel good with a Coke as the co-star.

What is it?

This is a commercial done a couple of years ago for Sainsbury's, a British grocery and department store chain. The commercial is based on real events on Christmas on the battlefield just over 100 years ago.

What is it?

This is Amazon Prime's new commercial. The commercial is selling a service but more importantly, it is conveying a deep emotional feeling.

What is it?

A child describes what her mother does at GE, but uses her imagination while doing so. Be prepared to be blown away.

What is it?

Fathers came in to class for what they thought was their child’s career day. It turned out to be a way to honor the dads in the classroom as a Father’s Day surprise.

What is it?

Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, created a short commercial for Memorial Day. The audience sees a variety of people talking to the camera and reminiscing about people they knew. The more the audience hears, the more they understand that these are veterans speaking about people they fought with in the military who have passed away.

What is it?

Johnsonville Sausage came out with a short spot about how things are made the Johnsonville way and how they’re responsible for making a great sausage. At the end of this ad, an employee tells the audience that they’re now also responsible for the commercials. This ad is the introduction of a campaign of Johnsonville employees describing their ideal Johnsonville Sausage commercial. Three have been made and you can watch them below.

What is it?

The 1972 commercial starts off with two boys fighting over who should eat the new and healthy Life cereal. They decide to give it to picky eater Mikey, who ends up liking it.

What is it?

Members of the United States military are seen walking together through an airport terminal in this commercial. One person starts applauding them, and it suddenly turns into the entire terminal standing and clapping as the men and women in uniform walk by. This 2005 Super Bowl commercial is definitely a memorable one.

What is it?

In the 1968 presidential election, Richard Nixon chose Spiro Agnew as his running mate. Agnew was unknown on the national stage. This ad from Hubert Humphrey attacks Agnew by showing nothing but uncontrollable laughter when Agnew’s name appears on the television screen.

What is it?

In the 1952 election, presidential candidate Dwight Eisenhower enlisted the help of Irving Berlin and Walt Disney to create a commercial for his campaign. The minute-long advertisement is fun, upbeat and features Disney’s iconic cartoon animation.

What is it?

Snickers created a series of commercials featuring famous actors in various scenarios to further emphasize their slogan. In this ad, which aired during the Super Bowl in 2010, a group of guys are playing tackle football. When one gets tackled, it turns out to be Betty White. The guys refer to this character as “Mike” and tease him. It’s only when he eats a snickers that he turns back into Mike.

What is it?

In the past, Apple has come up with commercials featuring celebrities to show off the newest features of the iPhone. This commercial in particular stars Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster. The feature he helps show off is the new Hey Siri command where Siri responds to the user when they say, “Hey Siri.” In the commercial, Cookie Monster is baking cookies and utilizes the timer with Hey Siri, but he learns that even the iPhone can’t speed up time.

What is it?

Google never had a television advertisement until the 2010 Super Bowl. Follow the love story through a variety of google searches; it’ll warm your heart.

What is it?

This commercial tells the viewer that even if they are a just a practicing athlete, with the right amount of belief in themselves, they can do great things. 

What is it?

Here is a commercial that honors all of the hard work it takes to be an Olympic champion. 

WHAT IS IT

The commercial you are about to watch, "Human Family," by Maya Angelou, is a photo montage shot on iPhones and narrated by Maya Angelou.

After watching this commercial, it’s normal to feel empowered. This week, we picked a commercial that isn’t afraid to challenge social norms and start a conversation. Take a break out of your day and give it a watch and let us know how you reacted to it.

We all need a mental break from time-to-time throughout the day. So weekly, I am going to send you a commercial that was successful in its day. I will also provide you with a few thoughts as to why it caught people's fancy. You're going to have fun and learn something too.