What Is Clubhouse, and How Do You Use It?

Chances are, if you’ve spent any time online over the past year you’ve probably heard of Clubhouse, which is being billed by many as the next big social media platform. We think it can be something more than that!

Clubhouse is a relatively new audio-only network for users to share and connect with others and discuss a plethora of topics in audio spaces, called rooms. And it’s truly taking off. 

At CatalystCreativ, we’ve been big fans of Clubhouse for months. Our co-founder Amanda even wrote an article about the amazing relationships she’s built on CH over the past six months, and how it’s provided a much-needed feeling of connectedness for her during a potentially isolating period. But before we can dive into how to get the most out of Clubhouse, from a personal and/or professional standpoint, let’s start with the basics.

• You’ll need to get invited to join, and you’ll need to have an iPhone or iPad. CH is still an invite-only platform, so try to find a friend who already uses the app. And right now, CH is only available on Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. 

• Create your bio. While a lot of people put a lot of information in their bios on Clubhouse, we recommend you keep it personal, short, and about what makes you unique. Think of it as a more casual version of your Linkedin bio, so have a little fun! Use emojis and make it pop visually.

• Follow people that are interesting to you based on topics and themes that you choose. Once you decide on some topics that are of interest to you, you should follow people that are in your contacts in addition to others who share those interests. This will feed the algorithm information so you can see rooms that are relevant to you. Think of Clubhouse like one big conference, and the people you follow will lead you into “rooms” on all different topics.

• Find clubs you are interested in. Once you follow people, if you scroll down their profiles, you’ll notice badges that represent Clubs. These Clubs host regular programmings based on consistent themes and each has their own best practices/rules to help you understand what the club is all about. Here is an example of a club badge and a club started by our co-founder Amanda Slavin.

• Join conversations! Once you listen in to a few rooms, you may want to start participating as a speaker. But to do so, you need to be what CH members call “on stage”. Raise your hand within the app, and join the conversation. Just don’t forget to mute immediately when you get on stage as unwanted background noises can be distracting! Then unmute yourself when you’re ready to speak.

• Create a club, if you feel so inclined. Pick a topic you are passionate about and invite your network. 

• Create rooms or start to create regular programming! Create rooms and have conversations that are relevant and insightful. Be vulnerable, authentic, genuine and make enough room for others to join the conversation and contribute to the discourse.

Just in the past few months, we’ve had multiple conversations with clients about what Clubhouse can do for their brands. It’s completely uncharted territory in that it’s completely different from almost every other network. People there are curious, professional, and come from diverse backgrounds. And above all else, they’re on the app to listen and learn.

You won’t find a more receptive and engaged audience than the one you’ll discover on Clubhouse. You might join other social platforms out of a sense of obligation because they’re trendy, but you’ll join Clubhouse to make genuine and lasting connections with interesting and interested people!

The Seventh Level Reason Brands Might Be Hesitant To Run Super Bowl Ads

I’m an NBA gal. I’ve never been an NFL person, and the league’s only pushed me further away from caring about it in recent years. But I’ve also worked in advertising for a decade. And for those of us in advertising, the Super Bowl is like… well, the Super Bowl!

Since the first Super Bowl was played in 1967, the game’s commercials have been a huge part of the experience. Of course back then, a minute-long spot would cost an advertiser $75,000—adjusted for inflation that’s about $585,000 today. Last year you had to cough up over $5.5 million to run a 30-second ad!

But despite decades of celebrated commercials behind it, with Super Bowl LV, the buzz this year feels different. It’s much more centered around what’s not going to show up than what is.

Already, Super Bowl favorites like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Hyundai, and Budweiser have announced that they will not be airing ads this year. And it took until Wednesday, January 27th for all available slots to sell out—way later than normal.

So why are advertisers less eager to plug their brand in front of millions of captivated viewers? There aren’t many events out there where people tune in just to watch the ads, after all.

• For starters, this obviously won’t be a typical Super Bowl. From a simple, bottom-line-driven standpoint, television ratings are down for sports. Plenty of reasons why that might be the case, but advertisers are thinking they can get more bang for their buck by pushing their marketing dollar elsewhere.

• Then there’s the fact that threading the messaging needle is basically impossible right now. Over the past year, people have really been hurting. We’ve been through an ongoing pandemic, an insane election cycle, mass protests we haven’t seen since the Vietnam War, a crappy economy, and who knows what else. Simply put, advertisers are afraid of striking the wrong tone, and it’s better to say nothing than the wrong thing.

• And then there’s a more positive reason: Budweiser is putting some of its would-be advertising spend toward the Ad Council’s vaccine awareness campaign. (Anheuser-Busch will still be running ads for some of its other beverages, though.) 

But there’s something I feel is just as important: a Seventh Level alignment of brand values—where a brand’s values fully align with those of its audiences, inspiring lasting loyalty. Right now, more and more brands are aligning themselves with messages of social justice, which—to put it bluntly—makes it tough to also align with the NFL. 

There’s the issue of racist franchise names (including one of the teams playing in today’s Super Bowl!). There’s the NFL’s attempts at hushing up scientists studying CTE. There’s everything that’s happened with Colin Kaepernick. The list goes on!

So for social-justice-minded brands, promoting their message and products through the NFL might seriously turn away their audiences who have come to trust and admire them for their stances on important issues.

This is something the NFL knows, too, and is trying desperately to address, now that there are financial consequences. 

The league invited the breakout star of the recent presidential inauguration, poet Amanda Gorman, to read a poem before kick-off. And The Weeknd—an outspoken advocate and financial supporter of Kaepernick’s charity—will be the star of the game’s halftime show.

I’ll be interested to see if prospective partners continue to press the league into behaving better by holding out on buying up advertising. Compared to Super Bowl commercials, there are less expensive, more values-oriented ways to connect with audiences, especially right now when the entire world seems to be upping its social media usage.

All that said, I’m excited to tune in and see what brands are able to get it right, despite all of the challenges in place. This is going to be a tricky year for a Super Bowl commercial to really resonate with its intended audiences at the Seventh Level, but it’ll be interesting to see who can pull it off!

Also shout-out to Sabastian Brinkenfeldt for the image above! We like to give credit where it's due.

What's Our Role In Making Things Better?

It’s been almost eight months since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, setting off a tense summer of protests and a national reckoning over race, privilege, and unequal treatment, both inside and outside the law. Things long simmering just below the surface seemed to boil over and as a country we mourned, reflected deeply, engaged in tough conversations, and vowed to make changes to how we approach race and what it means to achieve true justice.

Recent events in Washington, DC only brought the need to address these issues into sharper focus. It was a tragic day in terms of the lives lost, the attempted undoing of our democratic republic, and the reminder that there’s a subset of Americans who believe their lives are inherently more valuable than others’.

I hope the shift in our nation’s leadership going forward will help us come together, address some of the inequalities we protested over the summer, and push mass movements of hate into the past. But these things won’t happen overnight. There isn’t a switch that can be flipped in the White House to make them so. It will take work, and it will take all of us. But what does that “work” look like?

Personally, I don’t have a massive platform. I don’t have the ear of any congresspeople. I don’t have a Super PAC. I’m not a grassroots political leader. And I’m not in charge of a major media outlet. But I do run a small but mighty creative agency—which means there are things I, and we as a team, can do to chip in.

Representation is just one component of a more equitable society, but it’s an important one. It’s also something many of us in decision-making positions at companies big and small are able to control. 

We’ve always championed diversity at Catalyst, and have made a point to prioritize inclusivity in the events and experiences we put together for ourselves and clients. But there’s also room to learn, grow, and be better. The experiences of the summer certainly made us take inventory of ways we can contribute to a society free of structural limitations, where everyone has a seat at the table.

Which is why I was so thrown off during a major digital event I attended several months ago for a platform our company uses everyday. On panel after panel, breakout session after breakout session, the speakers were overwhelmingly white, and overwhelmingly male.

Noticing this made me think about whether any real change has taken place as a result of our collective focus on equality. Despite what I was seeing, I think the answer is yes.

The mere fact that I feel compelled to write a post like this and share it with our audience is a form of proof. Even though a lack of diverse representation in such a setting is something I would have certainly noticed and judged in the past, I might not have felt comfortable using my platform to discuss it, and I might not have looked so deeply inward at myself and my own company as a result.

Am I personally continuing to do the work? Are we, as a creative agency, lifting up marginalized voices in the client collaborations that we do? These are questions that are impossible to answer. In both contexts, the moment we answer “yes,” is the moment we grow complacent. And that’s not something I’ll allow of myself, nor will the members of the CatalystCreativ team tolerate of themselves.

In 2021, we’ll be working with HBCU professors to develop curricula around the Seventh Level, to help graduating students enter the workforce and immediately excel in whatever path they pursue. We’re also helping a major brand produce a digital event centered around championing diversity and inclusion—and will share more on this once we’re able to do so. 

We’re proud to play a small part in these endeavors, but we don’t want to stop there or feel like our work is done because of it. Similarly, this post isn’t meant to put anybody else on blast. (I didn’t name the event for that reason!) It’s more about building accountability for ourselves. Community is everything to us—and community is about togetherness and inclusivity. If we slip up, we want to know about it. We don’t want to only talk a big game, we want to walk the walk.

Our team is off today—MLK Jr. Day—to reflect, remember, and look ahead to a brighter future. We hope you’ll join us in doing so, because a better world is possible, but it won’t happen on its own.

How a Passion for Photography Fuels Our Social Media Specialist

I’m a full-time student at the University of New Hampshire up in Durham, studying International Business and Economics, and minoring in Political Science. I work part-time for CatalystCreativ running our social media. I am active in my sorority, where I have held positions as the Photography Chair and most recently, Media Assistant. And then of course, I love to visit and spend time with my family, friends, and boyfriend. This is all to say, I’m pretty busy these days! But whatever spare time I have, I almost always spend it in pursuit of one of my greatest passions: photography.

I have a side business doing single portraits, professional headshots, and couples and family portraits. And I love every aspect of it! I’ve developed a major appreciation for headshots because of how valuable they can be for the person in the photo. It’s a representation of their personal brand, and today, when almost everything is virtual, it’s important to make that great visual first impression digitally! 

Even though I love shooting and editing, it’s not always easy to find the motivation after a long day of class, homework, and whatever else is crammed into my schedule! But thankfully, I’ve found plenty of sources of inspiration to keep me going and chasing after my goals as a photographer.

My Go-To Camera

Having a camera I love definitely helps make even the most challenging shoot more exciting. And since getting into photography, my absolute favorite camera brand has been Canon! I’ve had a Rebel T7 for about a year and a half now. I love my Canon and all of its memories it has captured thus far, but I am hoping to save up and upgrade to EOS 5D Mark IV soon!

My Go-To Lens 

I love me an 85 mm Sigma Art Series Lens. It’s the perfect portrait lens and gives you that nice bokeh! Pictures are also crystal clear. I purchased a used one off of the amazing and reputable KEH.com. Their customer service is unmatched and their policies are awesome—I would definitely recommend them. Additionally, Adorama  has a great student discount rewards program, so sometimes I will scout out discounts through there! I recently have gotten into studio lighting and purchased the AD200 Pocket Flash for a discounted price -- which is said to be extremely versatile, affordable and easily portable!

My Go-To Inspirational Photographers

For Landscape photography I love scrolling through Jamie Malcom-Brown’s Instagram! He photographs where I am from (Western Mass) and never fails to impress. His talent is out of this world. 

For portrait photography, Sue Bryce is the absolute best! The detail in her photos is unmatched, but she still manages to create a smooth skin tone. It’s something I strive for in all of my portraits. She really captures the most dramatic and breathtaking images.

Locations I Would Love to Photograph: 

And as far as places I’d want to photograph but haven’t had the opportunity to yet, there are many. But Mass MoCA is at the top of my list and I hope to get a chance to shoot there soon. The art in itself is incredible, but the buildings themselves are just as fascinating. This place is literally a photographer’s dream. There are endless backdrops to choose from.  

(You can check out more of Libby’s photography on Instagram @libsalnicksphotos!)

Boosting Your Brand Through Engagement: Eight Key Takeaways

We hope you were able to join CC’s Robert Fowler and Nelam Patel, plus special guest Kirsten Jordan and amazing facilitator Cindy Scholz (both from Compass’s prestigious Hudson Advisory) for our webinar on digital branding and audience engagement! 

But if not—or even if you just want to revisit any of it—you can watch the entire session here. 

Short on time? We tried our best to pluck out and paraphrase some of our favorite takeaways from the hour-long discussion below:

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.

Not everyone is well-versed or comfortable with social media, but Robert reminds us that making an effort is better than letting your concerns hold you back. It’s an essential part of modern business! Start small or on just one or two platforms, become more familiar with what works for you, and be persistent.

And be persistent beyond your post.

Kirsten suggests you “be your own bot.” Like other people’s posts. Comment on them. Get active on relevant hashtags. Respond to people. And do it all often. Community management can be time consuming, but it’s how connections are made and strengthened.

Use your missteps to hone in your voice and find your dream audience.

You aren’t going to hit it out of the park with a viral post every time, which can be discouraging—after all, you’re pouring time and resources into your online presence as a means of business development. But make note of what works and what doesn’t, as well as who’s responding to what you’re saying, and over time, you’ll have your voice and audience down pat.

Invest in what you’re doing.

Take a short class on iPhone photography or hire a photographer when you can. Have a friend proofread your posts, or contract a content writer for lengthier posts or blogs. (And as a not-so-subtle reminder, CatalystCreativ is a preferred vendor for Compass, and we offer special rates—to set up a call with Nelam to see what we can help you with, click here!)

People can detect authenticity.

Nelam says people’s brands should represent who they are, authentically. Don’t fake it. You can be choosy about what you share, but if you share something, it should be something that’s true to who you are. 

You are your brand.

The quickest, surest way to cement yourself as an expert, thought leader, or someone people want to work with, is to invite people into your world. Show them what makes you unique, and show off your expertise in your field. Robert and Cindy advise sprinkling posts about yourself in with your posts about your business.

Google yourself.

Cindy shares a bit of always relevant advice: Google yourself to see what comes up. This can be helpful in determining if your branding is consistent, but it’s also valuable as a reminder to delete any old, out-of-use, or embarrassing social media accounts you may have forgotten about!

And remember why you’re putting time into social in the first place.

Nelam suggests measuring ROI as return on investment but also ripple of impact—how many relationships are you forming directly and indirectly through digital efforts? A listing might only get 10 likes but if it directly leads to two influential people sharing it and you get two offers out of it, that’s a bigger win than a viral post with nothing material to show for it!

Thanks again to our wonderful panelists, our awesome attendees, and everyone who made a donation to Women of Compass’s charity of choice, Women in Need (WIN).

Any questions or comments about the session? Want a quick consult on ways CatalystCreativ can help take your branding to the next level? Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Defining The Seventh Level Engagement Framework

HOW SHOULD WE DEFINE ENGAGEMENT?

Level 1: Disengagement = “This is boring, but there’s hope.”

Level 2: Unsystematic Engagement = “I don’t get what you’re going for here...”

Level 3: Frustrated Engagement = “Wait, what’s that over there?”

Level 4: Structure Dependent Engagement = “I’ll do what you tell me.”

Level 5: Self Regulated Interest = “What’s in it for me?”

Level 6: Critical Engagement = “I’m inspired, I’m brand loyal, I’m all in.”

Level 7: Literate Thinking = “The holy grail of engagement.”