SUMMER 2022

NAVIGATOR
IN THIS ISSUE

WEB3 FOR
GOOD
Al Smith

DRIVING YOUR
MARKETING STRATEGY
THROUGH PERPETUAL
CLIMATES OF CRISES
Mark Newcomer

ANATOMY OF THE
IDEAL CLIENT
(Hint: It’s a Matter of Trust)
Michelle Zimmerman

THE THIRST OF THE

B2B BUYER
Bourke Kelley

[Link] RANKED #1
MASS-MARKET
AUTOMOTIVE SITE
A case study

COPYRIGHT © 2022 COURTAVENUE, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WEB3 FOR
GOOD
AL SMITH
Senior Copywriter

When social platforms first emerged, brands quickly General Mills could integrate their food catalog into kitchen
realized opportunities for new impressions, data technology (and is already doing so), helping families track dietary
collection, and deeper market penetration to ultimately needs, food preferences, and grocery orders. Kia could create an
increase sales. But unforeseen consequences of these AR car shopping experience that allows shoppers to experience
tactics included higher rates of depression, anxiety, vast every model configuration without going out and sitting in dozens
distribution of misinformation, cyberbullying, and of vehicles. Apple could create a Genius Bar in the metaverse
countless other unfortunate byproducts. where users can get “hands-on” tutorials and help from the
comfort of their own homes.
It’s easy to paint tech companies as the villain, but the reality is that
all these negative outcomes were subsidized by brands. With the
metaverse emerging as the new frontier, brands are (once again)
“ BRANDS HAVE THE
eager to leverage their marketing potential. But this time around, OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM
brands could recalibrate strategies, refocus metrics and manage
PAST MISTAKES AND DO BETTER. ”
expectations with a more ethical goal in mind.

In the same way that Web2 democratized information, Web3 has Web3 is still evolving, and its final state is anybody’s guess. But

the opportunity to democratize experiences. This goes beyond brands have the opportunity – and perhaps the obligation – to
branded virtual concerts and roller coaster rides. While those are learn from past mistakes and do better. By approaching this next
valid creative executions, there are more meaningful ways to chapter with thoughtfulness and intentionality, brands can
engage customers within Web3. To achieve this, brands need to increase engagement and transform the world for the better.
move away from the traditional barometers of success like
engagement time, impressions, and shares. By making human The result will be customers that are happier, healthier, and more
value the central framework for Web3, brands can create (and engaged with a brand’s values instead of a brand’s content. If it’s
measure) productivity, creativity, education, health, entertainment, done right, the possibilities for brand loyalty and genuine brand
and more. They can also market more effectively and ethically relationships are limitless.
while fostering a more authentic customer relationship.
DRIVING YOUR MARKETING
STRATEGY THROUGH PERPETUAL
CLIMATES OF CRISES
With known behaviors interrupted, standard marketing playbooks based on years
of data were deemed suddenly irrelevant. Predicting the evolution of consumer
expectations in a post-COVID world was the parlor game of every CMO.

MARK NEWCOMER
Chief Strategy Officer

And while some brands choked, others identified

opportunities and accelerated their digital agendas from
e-commerce to omnichannel, focusing on the holistic
customer experience. Their core offerings didn’t
necessarily change for these brands, but they calmed
customers, evolved their marketing, and solved new
challenges while keeping their brand intact.
GET SMART ABOUT THE REAL WEB3
Two years later, COVID continues to force much of the workforce
New technologies and behaviors are both exciting and confusing.
into a WFH environment, the war in Europe and other geopolitical
As capabilities evolve, don’t over-invest in the Web3 craze, but
issues drag down the global economy, inflation rates increase, and
don’t ignore it. The advent of Web 2 (social, mobile, analytics, and
the stock market is retreating into bear territory. While customer
cloud) led to a lot of shiny object obsession. Be smarter this time
behavior may settle, a new economic environment threatens to
around and match Web3 to what has a real opportunity for short-
shake everything up again. With such mounting unpredictability,
term payback and long-term learnings. Make the right bets and
beads of sweat on the brows of CMOs are returning.
balance learning with the real Web3, which extends way beyond

Simultaneously, Web3 — the next generation of the internet as we NFTs and vague blockchain references. And finally, be acutely

know it — is challenging CMOs to learn entirely new tactics, tools, aware of –but not distracted by – rumblings of Web3, a new
and audience landscapes. They’ll need to find new partners, learn decentralized internet platform based on blockchain.
alternative behaviors, and begin to recognize what is real and what
LOCK DOWN YOUR CX
is fleeting. And while the possibilities are exciting, the reality
remains – they will need to deliver more with fewer resources. So, While the last two years have forced customer journeys to
how can brands evolve their strategy to weather the next storm? change, we see many companies in the midst of updates. As we
enter another tumultuous period, consider where best you can
TAKE STOCK OF WHAT IS WORKING & WHERE make adjustments that consider current data for what may still
EFFICIENCY CAN BE FOUND
change ahead.
Before too long, most CMOs will be faced with some degree of
cost-cutting, and those who understand what is essential to keep The forecast suggests a buffet of challenges that will test the
and what is not working will be best positioned to make valuable strength of brands, but the opportunities are limitless for those
calls versus reactionary ones. Now is the time to get your analytics investing in the right digital strategy.
and ROI metrics in order.
 ANATOMY OF THE
IDEAL CLIENT
(Hint: It’s a Matter of Trust)

MICHELLE ZIMMERMAN
Head of BI West

During my 20 years in marketing – most of which have 2. TRUE PROFESSIONALS

been spent in agencies – I’ve worked with dozens of One brand pillar on such a client is “Exceptional People,” and they
marquee brands across multiple industries. As an demonstrate that in spades. My clients are long-standing
account lead, I’ve become accustomed to long days employees who have such genuine passion and knowledge about
and the constant struggles of alignment among their business it’s contagious. They work with us because they
competing priorities. value us as ‘Exceptional People,’ as well.

Despite its unique challenges, it is an unmatched proving ground– 3. HUMANS FIRST

a place where an entrepreneurial spirit and relentless curiosity are Over the years, we’ve all experienced life events, personal
rewarded through relationships built along the way. While we work celebrations, and on occasion, hardship. One particular client is
hard and do our best for every one of our clients, some are
the first to acknowledge the milestones, the first to offer
extraordinary, and for whom you will always go that extra mile. You
congratulations –and when needed –the first to extend
spend additional (and unrecorded) hours on a project to get it
compassion. They’ve advocated for different people on our team
right. You find ways to ensure that only other top talent touches
and offered to extend deadlines (even when they didn’t have to).
their business. You painstakingly revise that deck –not because it’s
They know our favorite movies, where our family members are
your job –but because they deserve it. And setting that brand up
spread out, and our pets’ names and acknowledge these personal
for success becomes as ingrained into your goals as it is into
details in subtle ways (just as a close friend would).
theirs.

4. FAIRNESS & SUPPORT

I’m very lucky to have experienced this particular client (and
There is never a doubt from these clients that we are putting our
versions of it in others). There are qualities intrinsic to these
best foot forward. In turn, they prioritize fairness in finance over
brands that are tough to qualify but a few things that just about any
client can provide: squeezing a few extra hours out of a budget. As a result, we pack
in those extra hours anyway. They hear us out on wild ideas (no
matter how much those concepts may stray from what they
“ IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE DOING thought they wanted). And they do their best to help promote our
THE WORK AND HOW WE TREAT work within the industry.
EACH OTHER. ”
After assessing a brand’s particular needs and agreeing on the
1. TRUE EGOLESS PARTNERSHIP scale and cost of that work, we roll up our sleeves and do
We are a seamless part of each other’s teams and are determined outstanding work for all of our clients. But with some, it’s not about
to share in the success of a project. We are aligned in helping them the legal contracts or scopes. It’s about the people doing the work
wow their internal leadership and customer base – and they want and how we treat each other. And trust has been the glue that
us to enjoy the best reputation within their walls and the industry. binds our teams together and the engine that inspires continued
It’s not about credit or attribution; collaboration is the magic sauce. success in the services we deliver.
 THE THIRST
OF THE B2B
BUYER
BOURKE KELLEY
Strategist

B2B purchasing transactions –already on a journey of B2B experiences have long defaulted to boring, outdated
evolution –are going through their most significant experiences due to the need to communicate complex, detailed
transformation yet. With buyers yearning for richer product details and specifications for a sophisticated buyer. We
experiences, brands will need to reimagine traditional recently conducted research with IT decision-makers and small
formulas. business owners to shed light on what their priorities were moving
forward. Their responses should encourage B2B brands to break
Think of someone who regularly interacts with best-in-class from the status quo of reserving innovative digital experiences for
experiences (like Amazon) as a consumer. Still, once they get to their consumer audiences. And while B2B buyers will continue to
work and put on their B2B hat, they’re met with dull, minimally require detailed information to make a decision alongside a
visual websites (often about five years behind their B2C growing number of stakeholders, they told that elevating B2B
counterparts). A great example of this in the marketplace comes digital experiences to the levels they experience as consumers
to life in the electronics category. were among the most valuable things a brand can do as they
consider which brands to purchase from.

“ B2B EXPERIENCES HAVE LONG

DEFAULTED TO BORING,
OUTDATED EXPERIENCES. ”
Picture an IT professional who games at home. When they visit
Sony’s Playstation site to purchase a new PS5, they are greeted
with a product page that is highly engaging and brings to life the
core benefits of the product through audio, vivid animation, and an
immersive experience. The next day, that same person goes to
purchase a new projector from Sony for their office and is met with
product pages that lack innovation and creativity and instead rely
on a list of features and functions. Sony’s Playstation site Sony’s product pages
[Link]
RANKED #1
MASS-MARKET
AUTOMOTIVE
WEBSITE
The interdisciplinary teams at CourtAvenue took on the challenge
of creating a better [Link] by rooting the work in a key insight: If
Kia vehicles empower their drivers to get the most out of life, then
A CASE STUDY [Link] had to be an extension of that brand truth, offering users
an industry-leading and intuitive online experience

We also optimized the site’s navigation, updating the placement,

The results of a recent J.D. Power Study showed that
language, and design of the homepage menu to create a more
[Link] is the #1 Mass Market Automotive Website. This
inviting and user-friendly experience. This led to a 128% increase
victory was the result of the incredible working
in engagement with the Vehicles menu.
relationship between Kia and CourtAvenue. As Kia’s
Digital Agency of Record, CourtAvenue is responsible for
Kia’s Build and Price tool is one of the most important shopping
creating and implementing best-in-class outcomes in
tools on their website. We overhauled the entire experience,
Kia’s digital channels.
creating an intuitive interface that improved usability, reduced pain
points, and optimized the education process. This led to a 105%
The road to becoming the #1 Mass Market Automotive Website
lift in high-value actions taken by customers on the site.
has been a long and rewarding one. It began with taking a hard
look at Kia’s website. In recent years, Kia had become a leader in
The incredible work done by Kia and CourtAvenue together
the auto industry with its innovative technologies and designs.
resulted in [Link] moving from #16 to #1 among Mass Market
However, despite the incredible leaps in the Kia brand, its
Automotive Websites. The team at CourtAvenue couldn’t be
website did not offer the same premium experience that its
happier with this outcome, and is excited to continue this journey
vehicles did. Furthermore, the website did not align with Kia’s
of success with our partners at Kia.
new brand identity.