Podcast: Clorox CMO Eric Reynolds on Balancing Influencer, Performance and Classic Brand Marketing

EB Moss pictured below with Reynoldsamp160 Eric you have global responsibility for all marketing functions brand strategy to personnel media buying to advanced analytics at The Clorox Companyamp160 That ranges from Clorox Bleach and Lysol to Burt39s Bees and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressingamp160 How do you create an emotional connection with such diverse products and customersEric Reynoldsamp160 You39ve got to make an idea that connects with the head and the heart that39s relevant for the category and the brand but also to that personamp160 That takes a lot of hard work insight and getting that tonality rightamp160 People particular younger consumers want to feel like they understand the values and the ideas and the beliefs of the brands they buyamp160 So we work really hard to bring that to life through all kinds of storytellingMossamp160amp160You recently spoke at ANA Masters of Marketingamp160about influencer marketing photo at topamp160 What39s your approach Reynoldsamp160 We have found time and time again that influencers areamp160a bigger piece of our marketing mix because having other trusted people tell our brand39s story is essential to getting the word outamp160 We have increasingly found influencers essential to our overall strategies for keeping our brands fresh and relevantamp160 Because guess whatamp160 People want to hear about our brands from people that they feel like they know and trust and they put a lot of weight on those messagesamp160 Whether it39s a big celebrity influencer or microinfluencersamp160really depends on the brand the question the strategyAs a celebrity example Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriorsamp160came to us because he was so committed to people using less plastic in drinking wateramp160 He could have signed a big sugary beverage contract with almost any major manufacturer but he said quotNo I believe in Britaquotamp160 He39s been an outstanding spokesperson and he particularly talks to that younger Brita user we39re trying to bring toamp160the franchise to lure them into filtered water That39s an example where his personal passion and the brand passion connectamp160 We39ve used him in social videos and YouTube and it39s been greatAnd could anything be more everyday than LiquidPlumramp160 We found influencer work through creators making videos about gross stuff getting clogged is an exceptional way to get people to engage in the categoryamp160 They39ve been putting up this incredible content the organic views have been incredible and it39s been so strong we39re taking influencergenerated content and putting it on TVamp160 In the old days it would have been the other way aroundOur main channels still continue to deliver beautifully but a lot of our spend and focus is digital video which has become terribly important to tell our story across most of our brandsamp160 And the ability to reach people in search at the moment of intent has grown but the new channels areamp160Amazon Target Walmart where it39s not just a place to buy but a place to tell our story amp160Amazon is a media platformMossamp160 How are you grappling with smart speakers and that type of shoppingReynoldsamp160 We39re watching the voice trend and participating in its development very closelyamp160 Consumers go to things that are easier and faster and better and voice is a way to do thatamp160 Early on we39re quite lucky because most of our brands are either No 1 or No 2 in their categories and they have topofmind recall with the consumerMossamp160 I ask for Clorox amp160I don39t ask Amazon or Alexa for bleachReynoldsamp160 Yes Or if you sayamp160quotbleachquot because the algorithm knows we overwhelmingly win purchases of branded bleach on Amazon Amazon will make us the first choiceReynolds goes on to explain how their approach to brands has to be holistic from package design that reads well on Instagram or ships via Amazon more sustainably and considers the total consumer experience versus just quotthe goo in the jarquotamp160 New tools range from AR to chatbots to predicting areas of flu outbreaks via aggregated healthcare data in order to encourage retailers to stock up on Clorox Next he describesamp160balancing classic brand marketing and performance marketingReynoldsamp160 I39d argue that classic brand marketing and performance marketing both have something to offer to consumers to build modern brandsamp160 For us we39re finding the perfect balance is 60 classic brand marketing and roughly around 3540 what we call activation or the things that performance marketing tends to care aboutamp160 When we get that balance right between those two things we see ourselves having the best returnsamp160 If it39s too much about just quotthe clicks and the dataquot or quotperformance marketing is so greatquotamp160we lose track of the competition we lose a real sense of who the consumer is and we definitely lose the brandBut if we39re just talking big brand stories consumer generalizations we39re missing that consumer intimacy that we need to bring because the consumer can leave us in two secondsamp160 We have to remind them from the big messaging all the way down to that moment of activation thatamp160we are their perfect choiceamp160 I would say that the spoils would go to the marketers that figure out how to do this wellamp160 We39re still learningamp160we have new tools to get it done right but we think we39ve hit on the right problem to solveMossamp160 The ANA reported that 78 of brands have inhouse agenciesamp160 What have you taken back more inhouse than you might have before Reynoldsamp160 We39ve probably had an inhouse agency for 20 years but what has changed is the mix of the work they do amp160making more of that disposable or at least shortlived content as more and more content is required of brands as they try to speak onetoone to peopleamp160 Most of that is digital content for social purposes although we can make film and other sorts of thingsMossamp160 When it comes to social do you have any projections as to what39s nextReynoldsamp160 I don39t think there39s a lot new actually in the platformsamp160 I think we39re learning how to use them betteramp160 We get really excited about the storytelling capabilities of Instagram and of course all the data and insights that come with thatamp160 The big trend now is using what we have better and more effectivelyamp160 Our focus is on using data to be better storytellers rather than looking for the next social platformamp160 We39ve matured past being on platforms for the sake of being on themamp160 Now we39re stepping back saying quotHow do we use these platforms for real brand buildingquotamp160 Facebookamp160Googleamp160and others are getting good at listening to us and making changes to their platforms that are beneficial to usMossamp160 Trust is an issue for brands and authenticity has to come shining throughamp160 How are you working to spotlight social responsibility which I know is also personally important to youReynoldsamp160 I think it39s a great privilege to be a brand builderamp160 People take hardearned money out of their wallets and they choose our products to do something useful for them and there39s an expectation that our products workamp160 There39s also an expectation that we use the data that comes from that responsiblyamp160 We believe a brand should stand for values that matteramp160to others too that a brand is an idea and it has to fight for something beyond just being a productamp160 Advancing values where people feel they are seen and heard is our jobNow as a companyamp160with lots of resources and employees we39re absolutely accountable to civil societyamp160 If we are an inclusive fully representative company we can serve people who are in fact no different than the people who work in our company amp160If we don39t look feelamp160and act like in this case the American population then why would consumers put their faith in us in the long runamp160 It all fits togetheramp160 Social responsibilityamp160 Values Inclusion and diversityamp160 These are all essential to the longterm health of our company and our brandsMossamp160 Finally I happen to know you39re an oenophile so does Clorox get wine stains outReynoldsamp160 We go to Napa a lot and the Clorox Bleach Pen is exceptional at getting wine stains outPhoto credit ANASubscribe to allamp160Insider InSitesamp160episodes viaamp160Apple podcastsamp160Stitcheramp160Google Playamp160oramp160iHeartRadio Click the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Podcast: Clorox CMO Eric Reynolds on Balancing Influencer, Performance and Classic Brand Marketing

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We Are the Outliers - By Jack Myers

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Podcast: Clorox CMO Eric Reynolds on Balancing Influencer, Performance and Classic Brand Marketing

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