American Marketing Association

06/07/2026

From doctoral students to senior faculty, careers in marketing academia evolve in different directions. The 2026 AMA Summer Academic Conference brings the community together to share perspectives, tools, and support for meaningful impact across scholarship, teaching, and leadership.

📍 Denver, CO | July 24–26, 2026
💻 Virtual programming available July 20
Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q041QNPN0

06/07/2026

How are you building meaningful connections with your community? 💭

Community management is what turns a passive audience into an active, loyal community. It builds trust, strengthens relationships and gives your brand a human voice people can connect with.

When done well, it boosts engagement, improves customer satisfaction and turns everyday interactions into long-term advocacy.

✏️: Sprout Social, Inc.

06/05/2026

McDonald's is doubling down on a simple idea: consumers don't just want to see your brand—they want to feel part of it.

From fandoms and social listening to fan-driven experiences, their strategy is less about advertising and more about participation.

The takeaway for marketers? Build with your audience, not just for them. 👏

Activations around a Nike sneaker release and box office smash “Backrooms” demonstrate how the fast-food giant uses social media marketing.

06/05/2026

What makes a product "cool"? 😎
New research published in the Journal of International Marketing suggests the answer depends on where your audience lives.

While consumers across cultures share many perceptions of product coolness, the factors driving that appeal can vary significantly. In the U.S. and Germany, "cool" products are often associated with innovation, usefulness, and personal benefits. In China, exclusivity, status, and social signaling play a much larger role.

Think smartwatches: in some markets, they're marketed as tools for health and productivity. In others, they're positioned as premium accessories that communicate success.

Key takeaway 👉 A one-size-fits-all approach to "cool" doesn't work globally. Understanding the cultural values behind consumer preferences can help brands build stronger connections, increase adoption, and differentiate more effectively in international markets!

✏️: Gratiana Pol, Eden Yin, and Gerard Tellis, “What Makes a Product Cool? Consumers’ Perceptions of Product Coolness across Three Cultures,” Journal of International Marketing. https://bit.ly/4vob786

06/04/2026

Color does more than make a brand look good. It shapes perception. The colors you choose can influence how audiences feel about your brand before they read a single word. Red can signal action, blue builds trust, green evokes nature, and black conveys sophistication.

For marketers, color isn't just a design decision, it's a strategic one. The right palette can reinforce your brand positioning, influence emotions, and help drive consumer action.

What does your brand's color palette communicate? 🤔
📷: Mailchimp

06/04/2026

Sometimes the smallest messaging changes drive the biggest results.

New Journal of Marketing Research findings show that consumers associate fewer ingredients with products being more natural and less processed. In one field test, adding "Just 7 things!" to a granola ad increased click-through rates by 44%.

It's a reminder for marketers that how you frame information matters! The right message can shape perception, influence engagement, and ultimately drive action.

✏️: Michelle Yoosun Kim, Rachel Gershon, Sydney E. Scott, Daniella Kupor, Tianqi Chen, and Remi Trudel, “Less Is More (Natural): The Effect of Ingredient Quantity Framing on Consumer Preferences,” Journal of Marketing Research

https://bit.ly/4obMfhl

06/04/2026

Some of the biggest product launches miss the mark not because the product is flawed, but because the strategy behind it is. A strong go-to-market (GTM) strategy helps answer the questions that matter most:

• What problem are we solving?
• Who are we solving it for?
• Where should we compete?
• How will we create demand?

When marketing, sales, positioning, pricing, and audience insights align, teams are far more likely to avoid costly missteps and build momentum from day one.

06/03/2026

The sun is shining, the campaigns are launching, and the marketing power couples have officially entered the villa...👀 Who are you voting for?

06/03/2026

When choosing content distribution channels, match them with your business goals, budget, and where your audience spends time.

Owned media: Free content through your blog or email newsletters.
Paid media: Social ads, influencer collaborations, and other paid options.
Earned media: Publicity from word of mouth, media coverage, and achievements.
Your channel choice depends on where your audience lives (hello, YouTube!) and the right content for the platform.

Semrush ✏️: https://bit.ly/402kRab

06/02/2026

How can leaders help employees find purpose at work? You can’t manufacture meaning, but you can create the conditions for it to grow. Here are a few ways leaders can strengthen purpose across their teams:

✨ Make the mission real.
Purpose should guide decisions and daily work, not just live on a website.

🔗 Connect tasks to impact.
Use stories, data, and customer feedback to show how employees’ work creates real outcomes.

👏 Recognize people often.
Regular recognition makes employees 5x more likely to feel connected to their culture.

📈 Invest in growth.
Development builds skills, motivation, and a sense of future inside the organization.

👂 Listen with curiosity.
Meaning shifts over time. Empathetic check-ins help align work with personal goals.

🤝 Build an inclusive culture.
Belonging is a powerful driver of purpose. When people feel valued, meaning follows.

Dive deeper with The Diversity Movement: https://bit.ly/4iY1jNc

Discover how meaningful work drives engagement, retention, and performance—and how leaders can help employees find purpose at work.