Customer journey mapping is a valuable but frequently underestimated tool for marketing. As proven over and over by brands that create outstanding customer experiences, the joy is in the details. Take Disney, for example: whether it be the landscape, structures, or character interactions with guests, every element of a Disney park visit must exude wonder and magic. The process of journey mapping, then, enables brands to identify those make-or-break moments and change them for the better.

On August 13, 2016, an estimated 40,000 people invaded downtown Toledo to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of Jeep. It was Toledo’s biggest single-day festival in decades. The inaugural event gave Toledoans the opportunity to celebrate one of the community’s great passions – its love of the Jeep brand and vehicles.

As Brand pages on Facebook fight harder and harder to stay relevant in the friend zone of their follower’s newsfeeds, an upcoming Facebook algorithm shift will hurt reach for a majority of brands, reducing their content in many people’s timelines. This means that brands will have an even tougher time getting their organic, unpaid content placed prominently in people’s feeds. The trick to upping your brand’s chances? Make your content even more share-worthy.

10-second video vs. the traditional 30-second video; which one is more successful in today’s digital landscape? Well, it depends on the generation.

How many times have you asked yourself while scrolling through Pinterest “I wish I could buy that?" Pinterest has recently introduced its “Buy It” button which allows the user to purchase products straight from Pinterest itself. This feature is only be available for official brand pages and products.

Burrito lovers rejoice! Apple and Chipotle have come up with the Burrito button app for your Apple Watch. Chipotle’s Burrito Button app is so simple and straightforward, it revolutionizes the mobile purchase process and user experience.  Once you set up your location, favorite meal and credit card info, you’ll only ever have to press the “Burrito Button”! The best part of the app – the countdown clock until your order is ready. How can you beat that?

Do you ever get tired of only being able to swipe up and down in your Instagram feed? That has now changed since Instagram has recently launched their newest version of sponsored advertisements called Carousel Ads. This new ad format allows users to swipe left and click on an interactive "Learn More" button. The button links to a different page of the brand's choice so that the user is able to find more information.

2015 is turning out to be the year of ephemeral content, which is allowing communities and consumers the ability to interact with brands in real-time. How are brands and consumers able to interact in real-time? Well, there’s an app for that (or two). Meerkat and Periscope are both easy to use, and free to download for brands and personal users. Which one is the best for brands?