Bella Manson, Author at Cedarwood Digital

Nike’s ‘So Win’ Super Bowl 2024 Ad

14th February 2025

by Bella Manson General Marketing

Following on from our previous post on the rise of female-focused Super Bowl ads, we wanted to highlight the fantastic Nike “So Win” ad and why we are loving it!

Olympic athlete Jordan Chiles performing a gymnastics stunt.

Continuing the trend of brands focusing on changing the narrative around women in sports currently being championed by Dove and Novartis, Nike released a 60-second ad featuring a star-studded line up of some of the most iconic women in sports right now. A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins, Jordan Chiles, Sabrina Ionescu, Sha’Carri Richardson, Alexia Putellas, Aryna Sabalenka, and Sophia Smith Wilson, an intentionally diverse cast from various different sports, were pictured while Grammy award winning rapper Doechii narrated.

In their first Super Bowl ad since 1998, Nike called on women who are so often told they will not win in sport to win anyway. Too often limitations are forced upon women and girls in the sporting world, with expectations of how they should look, behave, and exist as women, and Nike’s fantastic ad is a significant step in the right direction of naming and dismantling this problem.

Choosing one of the biggest nights for men’s sports in the US to give women centre stage, at a price tag of at least $8 million, it is incredibly refreshing to see a brand stand firm in their support of women. While other companies played it safe with gentle gags and celebrity cameos, Nike’s daring ad was one of the best-reviewed of the night, the brand’s social media received the most engagement of any advertiser, and with 13,000 online mentions, it was the most talked-about of the night. While Budweiser’s “First Delivery” and Lay’s “The Little Farmer” were ranked highest in USA Today’s Ad Meter, the purpose-driven nature of Nike achieved higher emotional engagement, reflecting the audience shift towards more meaningful content. Nike’s success indicates that taking a risk in supporting female narratives in advertising can pay off in a big way, and contributes to the bigger commentary around how the advertising landscape has evolved, with brands recognising the importance of inclusivity and representation.

If you are interested in more marketing & trend insights, check out the Cedarwood blog for more!

Copy of Digital Marketing Careers - Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College (1)

PPC Talks – Head Of Paid Social Anna’s Talk With Digital Superchats

13th February 2025

by Bella Manson Cedarwood Digital News

On the 14th of January, our Head of Paid Media & Operations, Anna Simpson, spoke at Digital Superchats #15 – Paid Media Strategy & Performance Edition.

Her talk was titled “Making Performance Max Work For Your Business Goals” and broke down the complexities of Performance Max, offering an actionable framework to help in-house marketers and paid media professionals align these campaigns with clear business objectives. The focus was on practical strategies that empower teams to guide PMax’s automated learning to outcomes that matter. Also covered was how to structure campaigns, optimise assets, and set metrics that map directly to business priorities, thereby giving you the tools to make PMax work for your brand’s specific path. Lastly, Anna covered how to align PMax with today’s goals, exploring what is next for automation in paid media and how to prepare for Google’s evolving ecosystem, setting the stage for a more strategic and impactful use of PMax.

Key takeaways include:

How to gain a straightforward, no-nonsense understanding of Performance Max and how it operates across Google’s ecosystem.
Understanding how to set up Performance Max campaigns that align closely with specific business objectives, ensuring automation supports your unique goals.
Learning actionable techniques for optimising campaign structure, assets, and targeting to guide Performance Max’s automation towards meaningful results, from driving revenue to increasing brand visibility.

Want to attend future Digital Superchats? Check out their On Demand Events here.

If you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!

Digital Marketing Careers – Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College

12th February 2025

by Bella Manson Cedarwood Digital News

This past Thursday our director, Amanda Walls, did a talk at Loreto College to share her expertise on how students can kick-start their careers in digital marketing!

From emerging industry trends to the in-demand skills employers are looking for, she provided insights to help students navigate the opportunities available as well as increase their awareness of career areas that require growth.

Specific topics covered include:

Building your foundation – exploring areas like SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and PPC, and starting with free resources like Google Skillshop and HubSpot Academy.
Gaining practical experience – considering a side project to test-launch a blog or social media page to experiment with strategies in a low-risk setting.
Getting certified – boosting your resume with free certifications in Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, and Hubspot Content Marketing.
Networking & learning from others – connecting with industry professionals, joining groups, and sharing insights to grow your visibility, as well as attending events to learn from industry experts.
Staying curious & updated – considering that learning does not end when you leave education and keeping up with experts for tips and trends, as well as skimming marketing newsletters and websites for up-to-date information.
Understanding transferable skills – you will have a skill set that you’ve developed for digital marketing without even realising it. Think about your emotional intelligence, interactions with peers, and the way that you complete work. All of this is transferable into a new role and it’s about identifying how to transfer it!

“These talks are so rewarding to be able to give back to the community and as a business who hires a lot of graduates and helps them get their foot in the door of the industry, we are well-placed to be able to give them the information that they need!” – Amanda.

If you would like us to come and deliver a talk like this at a school or college near you then please get in touch!

Also, check out our Manchester DM events for upcoming, free industry learning opportunities!

If you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!

The Rise of Female-Focused Super Bowl Ads – And Why It Matters

7th February 2025

by Bella Manson General Marketing

Simply put, more women are watching the Super Bowl, and advertisers are finally taking notice.

Over the past three years, male-only celebrity ads have decreased by 2%, while ads featuring both genders have surged by 79%.

Many commentators have attributed this, in part, to Taylor Swift’s high-profile relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Her presence has driven up ticket demand, particularly for luxury suites, and helped 2024’s Super Bowl reach a record-breaking 202 million viewers, 49% of whom were women. This marks a 23% increase from 2023. This Sunday’s game is expected to attract the largest and most diverse audience yet, reflecting the NFL’s growing appeal among women and girls.

Advertisers appear to be bringing a healthier and more female-focused message to this year. Health and beauty brands are joining the fray, many of whom for the first time, and longstanding Super Bowl advertisers have started incorporating women into their ads in a less sexualised capacity.

Dove are running their Body Confident Sport campaign for the second year, designed to address the fact that in America, almost half of girls drop out of sports before reaching 14 due to low body confidence issues.

Novartis is running an ad to raise breast cancer awareness and to encourage more screenings, aimed at women aged 40 and younger, featuring Wanda Sykes and Hailee Steinfeld.

Hims & Hers is calling attention to the obesity epidemic in the US, and is critiquing the US healthcare system over restricted access to weight loss drugs, offering their own product as an alternative.

The star power behind this year’s ads reflects a clear trend: smart, funny women are taking centre stage. Martha Stewart, Shania Twain, Doja Cat, Charli XCX, and Meg Ryan are among the high-profile names leading this year’s celebrity-driven commercials.

In comparison, 2024 saw many more male-focused ads, with more male celebrities in the spotlight too; Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jeff Goldblum, Bradley Cooper, and Usher to name just a few. Betting apps were also a popular theme for this year, and in 2023 cryptocurrency was the topic de jeur, while beer commercials continue to dominate every year, all of which are traditionally male interests. This is not to say women were not present, with Beyoncé’s ‘Can’t B Broken’ Verizon ad and Jennifer Lopez for Dunkin’ receiving a huge portion of the subsequent cultural buzz. However, with 2025’s focus on not only women, but also women’s health and issues, this year is set to be a female-led phenomenon.

Ultimately, the increasing presence of women and female-centric narratives in a traditionally male-dominated space is a promising indication of progress. Women’s interests, purchasing power, and viewership are not only being acknowledged – they are being embraced.

Copy of Digital Marketing Careers - Director Amanda’s Talk With Loreto College

PPC Talks – Head Of Paid Social Anna’s Talk With The Go! Network

3rd February 2025

by Bella Manson Cedarwood Digital News

On the 30th of January, our Head of Paid Media & Operations, Anna Simpson, spoke at a virtual workshop about challenging the biggest PPC myths and unlocking smarter strategies for PPC success, courtesy of The Go! Network.

Anna’s talking points included:

Why do some brands believe they can manage PPC without external expertise, and what’s the reality?

What’s the best approach to aligning PPC efforts with overall business goals?
How do you determine the right budget for PPC campaigns, especially for smaller businesses?

If you fancy a listen to these expert insights, practical takeaways, and real-world case studies, check out the workshop here.

Also, if you are interested in any other Cedarwood news or marketing tips, check out our blog page here and have a read!