What I Learned in Cannes About Creators and Marketing Science

By Deirdre McFarland, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

On the French Riviera, amid the abundant sunshine, something was definitely in the air at Cannes Lions 2024. 

It was thrilling to be among so many people who are SO passionate about the intersection of art and commerce. The pure joy of connection was palpable, and enthusiasm for creativity (incidentally, the top driver of advertising effectiveness!) was off the charts.

Plus, NCS had its own time in the spotlight. We hosted a session on the Brand Innovators stage that looked at how creativity, advertising and marketing science create a powerful combination for driving brand growth. Big shout out to TikTok’s Measurement Lead for North America, Casey Hamlyn, and content creator and influencer, The Rapping Chef, Joshua Williford, for sharing their unique POV on how to engage audiences and build loyalty. 

The Incredible Influence of Content Creators

To have both join us on stage was incredibly exciting. After all, content creators have built uber-loyal fan bases on entertainment and social platforms like TikTok, and smart advertisers are partnering with influencers who love their brands.

Before we left for Cannes, we were curious: What do Americans think about content creators, and how do they prefer to engage with them? So, in preparation for our panel discussion, we asked consumers to tell us.

Nearly half of Americans (48%) told us they’ve purchased a product they saw featured in creator-generated content on an entertainment app or social media platform.

Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is especially swayed by influencer content. Sixty-six percent have purchased a product that appeared in creator-generated content, and 27% say they feel strongly connected to influencers, like they are friends. That’s much higher than all other generations (12%).

The Power of Marketing Science

Marketing science confirms these survey findings. We recently revisited our 2017 study, “The Five Keys to Advertising Effectiveness,” to see what had changed. We learned brand factors now contribute 21% of incremental sales, up from 15% in 2017. Brands with the highest levels of consumer loyalty had twice the incremental sales as brands with average or low loyalty levels.

When brands measure their advertising campaigns, they can use these results to adjust their strategies as necessary. As they partner with content creators, they can determine which creative is driving higher incremental sales. Then, they can work with creators to deliver the right messages to the right audience.

We shared these findings and many more on the stage with TikTok and The Rapping Chef. And that was just a taste of what we garnered from our survey findings and our “Five Keys” study.

When it comes to leveraging the full power of creator content and marketing science, we know CPG marketers have more questions about how to improve their campaigns. 

For instance:

• What types of creativity are more likely to keep people scrolling?
• What do consumers like best about advertising they see on an entertainment app or social media platform?
• How can advertisers work with content creators to better engage audiences?
• What do Americans like most about content creators?
• What are the attributes of advertising that consumers like best? 

On the sun-drenched French Riviera, we got the answers to these questions - and we want to share them with you. Download our latest e-book: Connections That Click: Build Brand Loyalty with Creator Content and Marketing Science today.