Experiential marketing is on the rise. More and more brands are looking to drive sales by creating truly memorable experiences for consumers. But simply following a trend doesn't guarantee success -- your brand has to have purpose.

As consumers seek out ways to live a more healthy and balanced life, many have taken to ordering and creating their own no- and low-alcohol beverages. Though these beverages carry less alcohol content -- and, in many cases, none at all -- they make up for it with nuanced flavors and craftsmanship that is commensurate with that of traditional cocktails. In order to understand just how quickly this trend is growing, let's take a look at what consumers and trade professionals in both the U.K. and U.S. had to say about the future of non-alcoholic beverages.

Between frequent ads, an ever-changing algorithm, and an influx of new posts, getting your brand’s content seen in the Instagram feed has become more and more challenging. Enter Instagram Stories, the feature that is now being recognized as another powerful channel for reaching your audience.

In recent years, consumers have become considerably more conscious about the food they purchase. Concerns ranging from the way food is produced to the ingredients that each product contains have shaped our tastes and, in turn, the products we see on the shelves. Though attitudes vary among consumers, the bread and bakery sector has persisted. However, even dietary staples like bread are subject to changing tastes. Here, we take a look at consumer attitudes, preferences, and concerns when it comes to their baked goods.

Given how much time we spend consuming digital media on a daily basis, it has become imperative for brands to stand out from the crowd through online channels. Social media, in particular, has become a big battleground for marketers, with U.S. spending on social advertising expected to exceed $18 billion in 2019 alone.

It’s official: influencer marketing has hit the mainstream. According to Social Media Today, influencer marketing is already estimated to be a $1.5 billion industry, with 84% of brands reporting that they plan to increase those expenditures in 2019. What used to be a murky field of marketing has now developed quite a bit of process, and marketers have gone from wondering what influencer marketing is to wondering how to optimize their efforts.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of tech-lovers and tech brands from around the world descend upon Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The annual event is a global stage on which next-generation consumer technologies are introduced to the marketplace. While some of these innovations are as simple as a voice-powered alarm clock for your bedroom, others are audacious, boundary-pushing technologies that could very well change the way the world works. With that, let’s take a look at some of the most innovative products that were introduced this year and evaluate what they mean for us going forward.

In the ten years since the United States emerged from the economic recession, the travel industry has experienced a prolonged period of growth. Want proof? Look no further than U.S. hotel bookings, which experienced a six percent compound annual growth rate between 2009 and 2017. This growth, however, was not limited to traditional hotels, as boutique options, as well as disruptors like Airbnb and its copycats, have entered the fray.

Face it: Ads are boring. Instead, consumers crave immersive brand experiences, and brands that provide these experiences earn lasting love and loyalty from their audiences. This isn't about showing off a product -- it’s about establishing two-way emotional connections that tie the brand to the lifestyle of its audience.

As marketers, we have a problem on our hands. Mothers make up one of the largest consumer groups out there, yet fewer than half of them feel understood by marketers. What gives? Despite how important moms are to brands – especially those brands in the CPG category – many marketers have failed to adapt their approach to this constantly evolving demographic.