Clorox is refining its marketing approach by cutting back on media spend and fine-tuning its targeting with a focus on YouTube ads and a new influencer advisory council, which will help co-create promotions and offer content insight, writes Kristina Monllos. The goal is to make YouTube and other content "more human, more authentic and less obvious in our approach towards driving demand," said US vice president of Clorox's cleaning division, Magnus Jonsson.

Columbia is focusing on a multipronged marketing approach for its "Bad Boys For Life" film starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, which includes a Black Eyed Peas video featuring movie footage, an ESPN ad with the duo auditioning for their roles and online ads and outdoor billboards that incorporate movie clips. "One last time" is the theme woven throughout all of the elements to spark interest in a movie franchise that dates back 25 years.

Verizon is returning to the Super Bowl for the third consecutive year with a yet-to-be-released 60-second spot from McCann New York, directed by Peter Berg of "Friday Night Lights," which will be broadcast during the game's first half. The campaign includes three additional spots that showcase how the brand's 5G technology will help first responders, including one that features a firefighter wearing glasses that employ augmented reality to enable him to make his way through a smoke-filled room.

Comedy Central and New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority, with Outfront Media and Posterscope, have teamed to bring the voice of Awkwafina to the subway 7 line, with a series of humorous announcements such as, "Next stop is in Manhattan. Hope you brought money!" The initiative promotes the new show, "Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens," and MTA says the campaign will act as a pilot for possible future celebrity announcer collaborations to generate extra revenue.

Marketers are allocating more funds toward social media marketing and can boost their successes by developing "a fit between what your brand promises and delivers," write Deepa Prahalad and Ananthanarayanan V. They suggest asking four key questions regarding priorities, platforms, content strategy and creating two-way dialogue to "ensure that your social strategy aligns with your goals and adds values for your users."

Marketers that want to stand out among competitors need to create personalized experiences, writes Shep Hyken. He outlines steps marketers can take to maximize their consumer interactions with an emphasis on on-demand, personalized and frictionless strategies, noting, "The key is to constantly grow and improve so as to transform the customer experience into a better experience for all."

Ad buyers using Snapchat's dynamic ads that are targeted based on behavior and directly linked to product catalogs are reporting lower cost-per-thousand impressions and similar or higher return on spend than Facebook and Instagram, writes Deanna Ting. Agency Within's Asher Chester says the costs balanced out between higher conversion rates and higher costs per clicks, while Havas Media's Tessa Kavanaugh noted clients realized CPMs were almost five times lower than Facebook.

Pinterest and market research firm IRI are offering a service that enables brands to measure consumer packaged goods ad campaigns' effect on offline retail sales for food, health and beauty products. IRI utilizes information to determine lift from a variety of sources, including 500 million frequent shopper loyalty members, a survey panel and other types of data.

Compared to other generations, Gen Xers are a little more cynical, a little more realistic and a little more loyal. Brands need to craft their messages accordingly. This was the most-read ANA article in December, so be sure you're part of the conversation!

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