Retail Brand Advocacy Programs

The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction is a classic example of a non-equilibrium thermodynamic system that exhibits periodic oscillations in concentration over time. It is one of the most famous oscillating chemical reactions and is often used to study patterns and chaos in chemical systems. Key Features: 1.Oscillation: The reaction cycles through color changes (typically between red, blue, or yellow and colorless, depending on the indicator used). 2.Chemical Waves: In certain setups, the reaction can produce spatial patterns, like spirals or concentric circles. 3.Reaction Mechanism: It involves the oxidation of an organic substrate (often malonic acid) by an oxidizing agent (like bromate ions) in the presence of a metal ion catalyst (e.g., ferroin or cerium ions). Basic Reaction Components: 1.Oxidizer: Potassium bromate (KBrO3) 2.Substrate: Malonic acid (CH2COOH2) 3.Catalyst: Ferroin (a phenanthroline-based iron complex) or cerium (Ce4+/Ce3+) ions 4.Medium: Acidic solution (usually sulfuric acid) Mechanism: The reaction involves multiple steps with feedback loops: -Positive Feedback: Bromous acid HBrO2) accelerates its own production. -Negative Feedback: The organic substrate and bromine react, slowing the oxidation process temporarily. These feedback mechanisms create the oscillatory behavior. Visualization: -Color Changes: The redox state of the catalyst (ferroin or cerium) causes visible color changes: -Ferroin: Red (reduced) ↔ Blue (oxidized) - Cerium: Colorless (reduced) ↔ Yellow (oxidized) Applications: 1.Study of Non-Linear Dynamics: Used as a model for oscillatory processes. 2.Biological Analogies: Resembles rhythmic processes in biological systems, such as heartbeat regulation or circadian rhythms. 3.Chemical Pattern Formation: Useful for studying pattern formation and chaos theory. Fun Fact: The BZ reaction was initially dismissed by the scientific community because it appeared to violate classical equilibrium principles. Later, Anatol Zhabotinsky demonstrated its validity, earning widespread recognition.

WHY THE ENERGY TRANSITION IS DISRUPTIVE & COULD BE MUCH FASTER THAN WE THINK: The clean energy transition isn’t just about swapping out old tech for new—it’s a complex, non-linear process full of feedback loops, tipping points, and unexpected consequences. Our recently published “Systems Archetypes of the Energy Transition” brief is a must-read for anyone shaping policy, investing, or innovating in this space. Key takeaways: 1) Feedback loops drive change: Reinforcing loops (like learning-by-doing and economies of scale) have made solar, wind, and batteries cheaper and more widespread, often outpacing even the boldest forecasts. 2) Path dependence is real: Early advantages for a technology (think BEVs vs. hydrogen cars) can snowball into market dominance, making policy choices and timing critical. 3) Limits and synergies: As renewables grow, market dynamics like “cannibalisation” can dampen investment—unless we design markets and storage solutions to keep the momentum going. 4) Policy design is everything: Well-intentioned fixes (like price caps or broad subsidies) can backfire, while smart, targeted interventions can unlock positive feedbacks across sectors. 5) Tipping points and decline: The decline of fossil fuels isn’t just a mirror image of clean tech growth—it comes with its own feedbacks, risks, and opportunities for a just transition. The brief also offers practical guidance on using causal loop diagrams and participatory systems mapping—powerful tools for understanding and managing the complexity of the transition. If you’re working on energy, climate, or innovation policy, I highly recommend giving this a read. Let’s move beyond linear thinking and embrace the systems view—because the future will be shaped by those who understand the dynamics beneath the surface. This briefing was led by Simon Sharpe at S-Curve Economics CIC, Max Collett 柯墨, Pete Barbrook-Johnson, me at Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford & Oriel College, Oxford & the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) and Michael Grubb at UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources.

Marketing budgets are being wasted. Emergence Capital's benchmarking data suggests that software companies, on average, generate 14% of their revenue from referrals but dedicate only 7% of spend to it—delivering 2x the revenue relative to spend compared to other channels.   Yet most companies are systematically underinvesting in this highest-performing channel.   Coming out of the pandemic, companies rapidly reinvested in events. But the pendulum has swung too far. Most companies are now over-investing in events (19% budget, 15% revenue). The gap suggests billions in misallocated marketing spend across the industry.   Even worse? Looking at YoY spend changes, companies are moving in exactly the wrong direction—42% increased event spending while only 9% increased referral investment. We're doubling down on diminishing returns while starving our best channel.   This is an even more burning issue for AI companies. Your solutions are confusing for buyers. Many make identical claims, built on the same foundational models with similar UIs. When every vendor promises "revolutionary AI-powered insights," buyers can't tell you apart.   So what do they do? They ask people they trust.    In a world of undifferentiated AI solutions, word-of-mouth becomes your best differentiator. Yet most AI companies follow the same tired playbook—more events, more ads, more noise—while ignoring the channel that actually drives decisions.   The data is screaming at us to fix this misallocation. Here's some approaches to boost investment on referral-driven leads:   1) Build a customer advisory board. Bring your most excited customers together IRL. Get their input on your product roadmap. Ask them for help getting the word out to peers at other companies. Bonus: invite a few high potential prospects to join..   2) Invest in high quality customer case studies. These can spur organic conversations between customers and prospects.   3) Consider customer referral incentive programs. These can take many forms. Experiment to see what drives high quality pipe.   What percentage of your marketing budget goes to customer referrals? If it's less than your event spend, you're leaving money on the table.   By the way, we released a full benchmark report with even more data, I'll leave the link in the comments. 

After countless heart-to-heart discussions with retailers, our friends in the foodservice industry, passionate sustainability advocates, and seasoned experts over the years, one thing stands out: many people enter the business world with noble aspirations. They genuinely wonder, 'How can I leave this planet a little better than I found it?' 🌍 When it comes to making a dent in environmental impact, #retail #managers often zero in on their #scope3 emissions, pointing fingers at their partners and suppliers to urge them to do better. And sure, that’s a step in the right direction to foster positive change. 🌵 However, the real game-changer lies closer to home - rethinking their product mix 🍔🫔🍝🥩🍖🐟 Consider the scenario where shifting from traditional animal meat products, which only represent about 8% of revenue but account for a staggering 35% of greenhouse gas emissions, to more sustainable, healthier, and juicier plant-based meat options like those offered by Planted 💜 This isn't just about adjusting supply to create demand; it's about making a monumental impact on our ecological footprint. It’s about making decisions that resonate far beyond the balance sheet, proving that the right supply not only stimulates demand but can significantly alter our environmental trajectory, significantly reduce a retailer's #footprint (without significantly affecting revenue streams) - and have a very positive on human & planetarian health. In essence, the choices we make today in how we source, select, and sell our products have the power to shape a more sustainable and livable tomorrow. It's time for us to rethink our strategies, not just as businesses, but as stewards of the planet, leading the charge towards a greener, more sustainable future. 🌍 Curious to hear your thoughts in the comments! #Sustainability #Retail #ClimateAction #alternativeprotein #innovation #founder #futureoffood

There’s a difference between customer advocacy and collecting logos. Too many early stage SaaS companies still think the game is: ☑ Get a big name logo ☑ Put it on your homepage ☑ Job done (Dare I even say one of our competitors' site has quite a few logos that aren't their customers, some are even ours 🤷 ) ...and I think buyers are wising up to this... Same goes for influencers. If they’re not using the product or if they’re not mentioning you without being paid to, you’re not building brand. You’re renting inauthentic attention. At trumpet 🎺 we’ve started leaning heavily into real advocacy. The kind that isn’t bought, briefed or branded. What it looks like: → Users looping in colleagues offering great case studies → Our Slack channels getting DMs oh how users are getting results and telling us excitedly → Prospects mentioning us before we’ve even reached out → Champions posting about us unprompted on LinkedIn → Customers recording walkthroughs for their wider team → Referrals landing in our inbox with a one-line intro That’s the gold. It doesn’t just drive pipeline. It compounds. If you want to actually use advocacy beyond a throwaway customer quote on your site, here’s what we’ve found works: 🔁 Give them a reason to share. Make the product so damn useful (or delightful) they want to talk about it. Most advocacy is a reflection of product quality, not just marketing effort. 🧠 Involve them early. Co-create features, roadmap check-ins, share sneak previews. People advocate for what they help shape. 📦 Re-Package the advocacy. Turn casual quotes into killer social proof. That Slack comment? It can become a slide. That LinkedIn post? It can become an ad. But only if it’s genuine. 🙋 Celebrate the humans, not the logos. Spotlight your champions. Not the company they work for, but the person who took a bet on you. They’re the ones who’ll take you into their next company. We're not perfect at this yet - but it’s the main kind of “marketing” that doesn't need large budgets and that everyone can do. Logos are easy. Advocacy is earned.

Genuine sustainability teams don't just make green claims. They nail the evidence behind them. Here are the 6 fundamentals you need to get right: 𝟭. 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗨𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 - Are your sustainability efforts supported by robust, transparent data? 𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱-𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Have you sought independent verification for your green claims? (Soon, EU regulations will make this compulsory) 𝟯. 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗕𝘂𝘆-𝗜𝗻 - Do you have the unwavering support of your leadership team? If not, what will you do to change that? 𝟰. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 - Are you making it as easy as possible for consumers to understand information about your product's impact? 𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - Are you staying up-to-date and compliant with ever-changing regulations? 𝟲. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 - Are you constantly measuring and improving your sustainability practices? Building a truly sustainable venture is hard. There are no easy steps to getting it right. But, if you nail these 6 fundamentals, you’ll give yourself a great chance to succeed. _____ ➕ Follow Abbie Morris for posts about sustainability, policy, and startups. 📧 Drop me a DM if you want to learn more about tackling the mountain of sustainability regulation facing the retail industry.

Episode 14: Brand Advocacy - Turning Customers into Champions Greetings, marketing gurus! We basked in the spotlight of Brand Salience in the last episode, ensuring your brand occupies prime real estate in your target audience's mind. But imagine if you had a whole cheering section amplifying your message – that's the magic of Brand Advocacy! Think of it like the ultimate school spirit day. Your ideal customers, transformed into brand advocates, are the ones rocking your brand colors, sporting your logo, & excitedly telling everyone why they love your brand. They're your biggest fans, your walking billboards, & your most persuasive marketing force. Why is Brand Advocacy so powerful? - Enhanced Credibility: Recommendations from trusted sources (like your customers) hold more weight than traditional advertising. Brand advocates add a layer of social proof, making your brand seem more trustworthy & reliable. - Authentic Reach: Advocates spread brand messages organically through their social circles, reaching new audiences you might not have tapped into before. It's like having a legion of friends enthusiastically recommending you to their peers. - Increased Brand Loyalty: Customers who become advocates feel a deeper connection to your brand. They're invested in your success & more likely to remain loyal in the long run. Building Your Brand Cheer Squad: Here's how to cultivate a passionate army of brand advocates: - Deliver Stellar Customer Experiences: Delighted customers are more likely to become advocates. Focus on exceeding expectations and building positive brand associations. Think of it as creating a school experience so awesome, everyone wants to be a part of it. - Empower Your Fans: Provide your advocates with the tools and resources they need to spread the word. Offer social media toolkits, exclusive content, or advocate programs that make them feel valued. - Recognize and Reward Advocacy: Show your appreciation for your advocates! Publicly acknowledge their contributions, offer exclusive rewards, and make them feel like an important part of the brand family. Brand Advocacy Hall of Fame: Brands like GoPro and Patagonia have mastered the art of cultivating brand advocates. Their focus on exceptional customer experiences, community building, and empowering user-generated content has resulted in legions of loyal fans who enthusiastically promote their products and values. Remember: Brand Advocacy is the ultimate marketing win-win. By creating a brand experience worth raving about, empowering your fans, and recognizing their contributions, you can turn satisfied customers into your most powerful brand champions. Like and share if you found this episode a real advocacy booster! #JargonBusters #BrandAdvocacy #CustomerMarketing #Marketing Stay tuned for Episode 15: Brand Refresh - Keeping Your Brand Fresh and Relevant. We'll explore how to adapt your brand to stay ahead of the curve and maintain that top spot in your customer's mind.

A new wave of employee ambassador programs is redefining brand storytelling! Major companies like Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, Chipotle, and Sephora are now paying staffers to create authentic content and become the faces of their brands. This powerful shift moves beyond traditional influencer marketing, tapping into the credibility, expertise, and passion of staff—turning everyday employees into trusted storytellers who connect with consumers in ways polished ads often can’t. My Advice for Small Businesses: 👉🏼 Identify Natural Storytellers: Look for employees who are already passionate about your brand and active on social media. Their enthusiasm and credibility will drive authentic engagement. 👉🏼 Provide Support and Guardrails: Offer training, resources, and clear guidelines to help employees create content that aligns with your brand while allowing their unique personalities to shine. 👉🏼 Recognize and Reward Participation: Compensate employees for their creative work and celebrate their contributions publicly to build morale and encourage ongoing participation. 👉🏼 Integrate Feedback: Use insights from your employee creators to inform your broader marketing and product strategies. They are often closest to your customers’ needs and preferences. 👉🏼 Balance Control and Authenticity: While brand consistency is crucial, avoid over-policing content. The true value lies in real voices and perspectives, not just polished messaging. By empowering employees as creators, you can humanize your marketing, deepen loyalty, and stay agile in a fast-changing digital landscape. 🚀🗣️ I'm ChiragSpeaks, creator of the Brand Clarity Framework, here with the HubSpot Marketing Team, bringing you weekly breakdowns of real news with real brand marketing takeaways.

User Feedback Loops: the missing piece in AI success? AI is only as good as the data it learns from -- but what happens after deployment? Many businesses focus on building AI products but miss a critical step: ensuring their outputs continue to improve with real-world use. Without a structured feedback loop, AI risks stagnating, delivering outdated insights, or losing relevance quickly. Instead of treating AI as a one-and-done solution, companies need workflows that continuously refine and adapt based on actual usage. That means capturing how users interact with AI outputs, where it succeeds, and where it fails. At Human Managed, we’ve embedded real-time feedback loops into our products, allowing customers to rate and review AI-generated intelligence. Users can flag insights as: 🔘Irrelevant 🔘Inaccurate 🔘Not Useful 🔘Others Every input is fed back into our system to fine-tune recommendations, improve accuracy, and enhance relevance over time. This is more than a quality check -- it’s a competitive advantage. - for CEOs & Product Leaders: AI-powered services that evolve with user behavior create stickier, high-retention experiences. - for Data Leaders: Dynamic feedback loops ensure AI systems stay aligned with shifting business realities. - for Cybersecurity & Compliance Teams: User validation enhances AI-driven threat detection, reducing false positives and improving response accuracy. An AI model that never learns from its users is already outdated. The best AI isn’t just trained -- it continuously evolves.

🚀 Exploring Feedback Loops in Language Models: A Double-Edged Sword! 📢 Have you considered how feedback loops in AI can amplify unintended consequences? 🔬 The recent research, "Feedback Loops With Language Models Drive In-Context Reward Hacking", highlights critical dynamics in how language models interact with feedback systems. 🌟 Key Takeaways:- 👉 In-Context Reward Hacking (ICRH) - Language models often optimize for specific objectives in ways that unintentionally lead to undesirable outputs. 📌 Two Feedback Loop Mechanisms - 1️⃣ Output-Refinement - It repeatedly improving outputs based on feedback can amplify biases or errors. 🔍 Example: In content moderation systems, refining outputs for strict compliance can result in over-censorship or loss of nuance. 2️⃣ Policy-Refinement - It adapting the model’s decision-making to feedback can cause unintended policy shifts. 🔍 Example: Customer support chatbots may overly prioritize high ratings, offering refunds unnecessarily to ensure positive feedback. 🌎 Real-World Implications:- 🗝️ Gen AI in Content Creation - When feedback prioritizes engagement, AI may generate clickbait or sensational content to maximize metrics. 🗝️ Personalized Recommendations - Systems adapting to user feedback may create echo chambers, reinforcing specific preferences while ignoring diverse perspectives. 🛠️ Why It Matters? As AI systems become more ubiquitous, their ability to self-optimize through feedback is both a strength and a potential risk. 👭 We must develop robust strategies to:- 🌐 Detect unintended behaviors early. 🌎 Ensure ethical and aligned outcomes. ⌛ Foster transparency in AI feedback systems. 📖 Read the full paper for deeper insights - https://lnkd.in/dp42viKq 👉 What strategies do you think could help mitigate these challenges in feedback systems? Let’s discuss in the comments! 💬