Digital Debrief 3.13.2024

Welcome back to the Digital Debrief! Let’s dive in:?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Search?

• Google has introduced a feature allowing businesses to showcase recent social media posts directly within their Google Business listings . This enhancement, which builds upon the ability to add social media profile links launched in October, now includes a "Social Media Updates " section displaying posts from connected profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and X. Businesses can link their accounts through the Google Business dashboard, with Google automatically populating the social post previews. This update aims to enrich Google Business profiles, providing more context and potentially increasing engagement with businesses' products or services by leveraging the visibility Google Search and Maps offer.
• Lunchables Dunkables has unveiled a new campaign titled "A.I. versus K.I. " (Kids' Imagination), contrasting the creative outputs of children with those of artificial intelligence. The initiative highlights kids' unique and boundless imagination compared to AI, especially in generating artwork based on the Dunkables theme. The campaign featuring pop-up exhibits in Los Angeles and Austin showcases fantastical creations by children, such as pretzel ninjas and peanut butter-spewing dragons, emphasizing the importance of nurturing imagination in the digital age. Additionally, Lunchables launched a contest to appoint its first-ever Dunkables Head of Imagination, inviting kids to submit their creative ideas to win a trip to Lunchables headquarters and participate in future social campaigns. This effort promotes Dunkables and reassures parents about technology's positive role in fostering creativity.

• Google has introduced "Meridian ," an open-source Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) tool, aiming to assist marketers in more accurately measuring the impact of their marketing efforts across various channels . Meridian provides advanced measurement capabilities while ensuring privacy, offering access to data points like YouTube reach and indexed Google query-volume data alongside educational resources for optimal utilization. Designed for flexibility, Meridian allows users to adjust the code and model parameters to suit their business needs, offering a new level of control in marketing measurement. This initiative comes as marketers seek alternatives to traditional tracking methods, especially in light of the gradual elimination of tracking cookies . Meridian is currently available in limited access, presenting a valuable resource for marketers looking to enhance their campaign performance analysis.
• LinkedIn is delving into the utilization of generative AI features to enhance user experience, aiming for these tools to serve rather than mislead. It has introduced various AI-driven functionalities like Collaborative Articles , AI post prompts, and AI-enhanced job descriptions, evaluating their impact based on user feedback, human review of AI outputs, and product usage metrics. Despite potential concerns over authenticity, given LinkedIn's role as a platform for professional representation, the company asserts that these measures ensure the tools align with member needs and maintain integrity. LinkedIn's comprehensive adoption of AI features reflects its ambition to innovate while balancing the authenticity and value these tools bring to the professional community.
• LinkedIn is introducing new features to aid in internal career development and progression . The "Next Role Explorer " tool visualizes potential career paths within an employee's current company, highlighting necessary skills for desired roles. This leverages LinkedIn's extensive data on career trajectories to offer personalized advice and learning resources. Additionally, a new feature allows employees to express interest in internal positions receiving alerts for job openings and relevant LinkedIn Learning courses. With the rise of generative AI reshaping job markets, these tools aim to help users adapt and find growth opportunities within their organizations, including access to 250 generative AI-focused courses available for free until April 5th.

Marketing, Influencer & Advertising?

• In a creative twist, Pepsi's marketing campaign introduced the Zero Right Bracket Challenge, leveraging the playful pun of Allen Iverson's initials "A.I." to compare the basketball legend to artificial intelligence, humorously addressing the unpredictability of March Madness bracket predictions. Partnering with Iverson and DraftKings Inc., they offer a $100,000 prize for participants who can correctly predict the losers of each game. This initiative showcases Pepsi's knack for blending cultural relevance with consumer engagement, inviting fans to partake through a dedicated link or the DraftKings app by March 18, underscoring bracket predictions' fun yet challenging nature. Simple, yet extremely effective.

• Heinz is launching a major marketing campaign titled "Gravy Is The New Ketchup ," which encourages consumers to use gravy as an everyday condiment, similar to ketchup, beyond just holiday occasions. This initiative, part of the "It Has to be Heinz " creative platform, features online videos and social media content. It also introduces three new vegetarian gravy varieties, marking the brand's largest investment in gravy outside the holiday season.

• ?Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have introduced an innovative promotional strategy for "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" on Roblox , creating the platform's first immersive movie trailer experience. Dubbed "Godzilla x Kong Obby," the activation transports players to the film's Hollow Earth setting to engage in challenges and collect rewards, offering a unique way to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences through gamified content. This approach promotes the upcoming movie and allows players to earn digital items for their Roblox characters, setting a new standard for immersive movie marketing campaigns.

• GNC is collaborating with Team Whistle for a special March Madness-themed episode of the "No Days Off" YouTube series featuring North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot. The episode, set to air on March 13, will showcase Bacot's use of GNC’s Pro Performance products as integral to his post-workout routine. This partnership aims to position GNC as a key player in sports nutrition, leveraging the massive audience of the "No Days Off" series, which boasts 7.1 billion lifetime global views. Alongside the main episode, additional social media content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Reels will further highlight the collaboration, including segments that focus on Bacot’s daily protein goals and a "Day in the Life" feature emphasizing how GNC products support his athletic performance.
• A recent Edo report highlights the rising effectiveness of advertisements during women’s sports programming , noting significant improvements in ad engagement and effectiveness . Tennis events, particularly Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, led in ad performance, while WNBA broadcasts also saw notable increases in engagement, with playoff and finals ads jumping 23% and 30%, respectively. New Balance ads experienced a remarkable 203% boost in effectiveness, standing out among women’s sports advertisers. Additionally, endorsements by individual athletes like Caitlin Clark for State Farm showed a 46% higher likelihood of generating engagement. This growing trend underscores the expanding opportunity for brands in women’s sports, suggesting that live sports remain a potent arena for advertisers to connect with consumers and drive brand engagement.

• Minute Maid Zero Sugar has launched its first global campaign, "Sells Itself," featuring actor Jon Hamm in a series of ads that playfully highlight the juice's appeal without needing a traditional pitch. The campaign aims to attract consumers wary of juice due to its sugar content by emphasizing its great taste and zero sugar. Hamm's involvement in the campaign takes a tongue-in-cheek approach, showcasing scenarios where his presence as a pitchman is humorously deemed unnecessary because of the product's inherent qualities. This initiative marks a significant digital and social media push for Minute Maid Zero Sugar, with tailored ads appearing across platforms like Spotify, iHeartRadio, Meta, Snapchat, and for the first time, using TikTok's Branded Mission feature to engage creators. The campaign reflects a broader effort to rejuvenate the Minute Maid brand, emphasizing vitality and the joy of fruit and juice while moving away from traditional media buys to focus more on digital channels that link directly to retail opportunities.

• ?TalkShopLive , a video commerce platform, has broadened the reach of its Shoppable Simulcast product to include Instagram, allowing live streams to be simulcast across a brand’s Instagram page while retaining its shopping features. This development was demonstrated through a collaboration with musician Benny Blanco and Billboard , promoting Blanco’s new cookbook via a live stream shared across Billboard’s website, Instagram, and Facebook. The Shoppable Simulcast, previously launched on Facebook, represents a growing interest in social commerce, which is anticipated to reach $82.82 billion in U.S. sales this year. This feature alerts followers to watch and shop directly within the stream, simplifying purchasing by sending direct purchase links through comments. This initiative not only showcases the versatility of TalkShopLive’s platform but also taps into the lucrative market of livestream shopping, engaging consumers in a dynamic, interactive shopping experience.
• Wayfair is launching a vibrant new campaign, "Welcome to the Wayborhood ," featuring a refreshed brand logo, an updated jingle, and collaborations with celebrities like Lisa Vanderpump and Kelly Clarkson. This rebranding effort coincides with the retailer's preparation to open its first large-format store in Wilmette, Illinois, this spring. Developed with Havas Chicago, the campaign includes TV spots aired during the Oscars, social activations, and a partnership with Pinterest for the first-ever Pinterest Creator Tour. This strategic refresh aims to engage modern consumers by emphasizing Wayfair’s commitment to offering diverse home styles for every budget, marking a significant step in its expansion to physical retail alongside its online presence.

• DiGiorno introduced the Pizza Rescue Program , leveraging AI to assess and compensate for delivery or carry-out pizza mishaps. Starting on Pi Day (March 14) through April 11, consumers can submit photos of their damaged pizzas to a microsite , where AI evaluates the extent of damage and assigns a digital coupon value: $1 off for up to 30% damage, $1.50 for up to 60%, and $2 for up to 100%. This campaign aims to mitigate the disappointment of receiving a damaged pizza, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by offering discounts on DiGiorno's frozen pizzas as a remedy.
• Guinness collaborated with Jason Momoa for a campaign celebrating Irish heritage ahead of St. Patrick’s Day. Momoa co-directed and stars in the “Lovely Day” ad, produced by his company On The Roam, which humorously explores his 2% Irish ancestry. The campaign, set to run across digital and social channels and extended to TV on March 11, features a hero film where Momoa joyfully discovers his Irish roots. The ad also includes a personal touch with Momoa's mother appearing in the scene, highlighting the actor's long-standing connection with Guinness. This initiative is part of Guinness’ St. Patrick’s Day activities , including a partnership with Ancestry to explore connections to the Guinness Storehouse. The campaign aims to engage a broader audience, sharing Guinness's iconic story through Momoa's widespread appeal.

• Hugo Boss is venturing into Roblox with "Planet Hugo" to promote its new denim-focused Hugo Blue line, tapping into the gaming platform's expansive reach to engage Gen Z consumers. This move allows players to engage with the brand through interactive fashion experiences, highlighting the importance of digital platforms for luxury fashion brands aiming to connect with younger audiences. Amid challenges in meeting sales targets, Hugo Boss's presence on Roblox represents a strategic effort to leverage gamification and virtual communities to boost brand awareness and loyalty. This initiative underscores the growing intersection between fashion and gaming, with Roblox as a critical platform for brands exploring the metaverse and digital-first marketing strategies.

Social Media

Meta:

• Meta has unveiled a series of updates to enhance its advertising offerings, particularly for retailers and users of its automated Advantage+ campaigns. The updates include "Advantage+ creative optimizations" for better video ad performance on various Meta platforms, new options for Advantage+ catalog ads, including branded and demonstration videos, and introducing a "hero" image to improve ad targeting and effectiveness. Additionally, Meta is expanding e-commerce ad capabilities with integrations for Magento and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, adding new features to Reminder Ads and Promo Codes on Instagram and Facebook, and enhancing Collaborative ads with more detailed analytics. These updates reflect Meta's ongoing efforts to provide more tailored and effective advertising solutions across its platforms.
• Instagram is experimenting with a new feature for Reels named "Spins ," which is designed to encourage collaborative creativity by allowing users to remix others' Reels by altering audio or text elements. Currently, in the testing phase, this option aims to enhance engagement by enabling creators to reach wider audiences through remixes. Similar to the concept of meme templates, Spins would let users customize trending Reel templates with their own text or audio, potentially fostering a surge in meme-like trend participation on Instagram. While still in early testing, Spins represents Instagram's effort to facilitate more user-generated content and participation in trends, mirroring successful strategies from platforms like TikTok.
• Meta is considering adding new features to its Meta Verified subscription service to entice more users, including content protection, quicker ad reviews, and the option to add links in Reels. Despite these efforts, the uptake has been limited, suggesting that Meta needs to offer more compelling reasons for users to subscribe to a service that costs $11.99 per month, especially when the perceived value of verification badges may be diminishing.
• Meta is advancing its Ray-Ban Stories glasses through expanded testing of "multimodal" capabilities, including providing information on landmarks for users in the beta program . This enhancement aims to enrich user experiences, potentially benefiting sectors like tourism and travel. Additional updates include voice commands for sharing interactions and photos via social platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger and customizable playback speeds for podcast listening. Moreover, Meta is exploring the integration of an AI chatbot within these glasses, offering real-time, generative AI responses based on visual inputs. While not yet Augmented Reality (AR)-equipped, these developments signify steps toward Meta's anticipated AR glasses, expected to be previewed later this year with a commercial launch targeted for 2027. This progression highlights Meta's ambition to lead in AR, leveraging the growing interest spurred by innovations like the Apple Vision Pro.

TikTok:

• According to Social Media Today Content and Social Media Manager Andrew Hutchinson, Ahead of a crucial House vote this week, TikTok is actively contesting a bipartisan bill that seeks to mandate the app's sale to US ownership or face a ban, citing national security concerns. The bill aims to limit "foreign adversary-controlled" apps, allowing more US oversight to prevent potential data sharing with hostile entities. President Biden has indicated readiness to sign the bill into law, prompting TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, to directly appeal to Capitol Hill and the company to mobilize its user base and content creators in a lobbying effort. This legislative action reflects broader geopolitical tensions and concerns over data privacy and the influence of foreign-owned apps on U.S. soil.According to Axios reporters Maria Curi and Ashley Gold, The House recently passed a bipartisan bill that could compel ByteDance, a China-based company, to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US . This move, supported by a 352-65-1 vote, underscores the escalating concern over the app's potential national security risks. Despite the rapid progression of the legislation, which lacks a counterpart in the Senate, it faces an uncertain future. The bill's journey through the Senate may encounter hurdles , notably from Sen. Rand Paul, who views the bill as unconstitutional. However, it received backing from key senators, including Senators Mark Warner and Marco Rubio. This legislative effort reflects the growing scrutiny of TikTok's ownership and its implications for U.S. national security amidst a broader debate on the balance between safeguarding privacy and ensuring the freedoms that define American life.
• TikTok is improving its Effect Creator Rewards program , extending it to 33 additional regions to allow more AR creators worldwide to earn money by developing digital experiences within the app. This expansion follows a reduction in the required view count for monetization, now set at 100,000 cumulative views within 90 days, down from 200,000 at launch. Creators can earn up to $14,000 for each eligible effect, with a cap of $50,000 per month. This move aims to fuel the creation of innovative AR content on TikTok and capture the next viral AR trend, positioning TikTok alongside Snapchat and Meta to leverage creative AR talent for enhanced user engagement.
• TikTok has unveiled a new integration for Apple's SKAdNetwork (SKAN) , offering a solution for advertisers to track ad and app performance in a privacy-centric manner following Apple's iOS 14 App Tracking Transparency updates. This integration within TikTok Ads Manager introduces a tiered privacy threshold framework, providing varying levels of anonymized data granularity. This technical advancement aims to enable more effective campaign optimization through actionable insights, which is particularly valuable for mobile marketers seeking to navigate Apple's tracking changes. TikTok also partnered with AppsFlyer to release a manual explaining SKAdNetwork in detail, helping advertisers understand how to leverage this system for improved campaign performance despite reduced access to user data.
• TikTok 's new guide provides strategies for marketers to connect with female audiences , highlighting women's significant role as consumers and creators. The 15-page document outlines key trends and insights into crafting messages that resonate with women, encouraging brands to revisit their creative approaches. By aligning marketing efforts with these identified trends, brands can better engage with this influential demographic on TikTok. The guide is designed to help marketers tap into the power of female consumers by incorporating these insights into their campaigns.

X (formerly Twitter):

• X has been sharing data that suggests increasing platform engagement, contradicting reports from third-party analyses indicating declines in usage. Elon Musk, X's owner, claims record-high traffic and engagement, often using SEMRush data that primarily measures Google referral traffic, representing only a fraction of actual app usage. Third-party reports, including Apptopia , SimilarWeb , AppAnnie , and Edison Research , report declines in daily active users, mobile and web visits, monthly active users, and overall usage, respectively. Despite X's claims of eliminating bots and seeing significant user sign-ups, discrepancies in reported data raise questions about the platform's actual performance and growth. Contrary to Musk's assertion of combating bots, third-party analysis suggests bots remain a significant factor on the platform. The discrepancies between X's reports and third-party analyses, along with misleading statistics on views and engagement, indicate a need for caution in accepting X's data at face value, primarily as the platform seeks to rebuild its advertiser base amidst reported revenue declines.
• X is expanding its platform capabilities by introducing X Articles , essentially integrating a blogging tool for long-form content creation directly within the app . This new feature allows users, particularly Premium+ subscribers and Verified Organizations, to create articles with various formatting options and embed images and videos, enhancing the diversity of content on X. The move is part of Elon Musk's vision to transform X into an "everything app" and encourage more diverse content sharing, especially aiming to boost "freedom of speech" and challenge mainstream media narratives. However, the success and adoption of X Articles, given its subscription-based access, still need to be seen, especially concerning whether it will attract publishers and journalists or remain a niche offering for Elon Musk's followers.

Pinterest:?

• Pinterest is expanding its AI-driven "Body Type Filters ," now dubbed "Body Type Ranges ," to include searches in women's fashion and wedding ideas, enhancing the platform's inclusivity and personalization. This feature prompts users to select from four body type ranges, refining search results to match their body representation better. The platform aims to deliver more accurate and inclusive content using Pinterest's proprietary AI, which analyzes shape, size, and form across over 3.5 billion images. Already implemented in the U.S. and under testing in Canada, this expansion is part of Pinterest's broader diversity initiatives, featuring skin tone and hair type filters. Plans are in place to extend body type ranges to men's fashion, additional categories, and more international markets, continuing Pinterest's commitment to enhancing user experience through personalized content.
• Pinterest emphasizes incorporating inclusivity into marketing strategies to connect with a broader audience . The platform highlights diversity as a core value, reflected in features like skin tone search filters, hair type discovery options, and body shape filters. Pinterest advises brands to integrate inclusive thinking throughout their planning process, ideate for diverse audiences, possibly by collaborating with specific influencers, and use insights to understand audience responses better. Key recommendations include diversifying visuals to represent different people and cultures, using inclusive languages, opting for 'couple' over 'bride and groom' in wedding content, and evolving strategies based on feedback and mistakes. These tips aim to help brands make their messaging more inclusive and inspiring for consumers.

YouTube:

• YouTube shared insights from MrBeast’s lead thumbnail creator, Chuck Appleby, who revealed his approach to crafting thumbnails that drive viewership. MrBeast’s strategy includes spending up to $10,000 per thumbnail and generating up to 20 variations for each video. Here are the key tips:?1) Trust: Ensuring the thumbnail accurately represents the video content to build audience trust2) Consistency: Using recognizable elements, like the creator's face, across all thumbnails for brand consistency.3) Visual Clarity: Keeping thumbnails simple and clear to ensure immediate understanding at a glance.4) Testing: Experiment with different thumbnail options to determine the most effective one, including subtle changes like shirt colors or facial expressions.

?Reddit:?

• Reddit has launched Reddit Pro , an analytics suite aimed at helping brands leverage insights from the platform's niche communities. This tool offers features like post-scheduling, performance analytics, and AI-powered trend insights to enable better engagement strategies. Currently available on a limited basis , Reddit Pro has been tested with brands such as Wendy's and NASA, demonstrating its potential for marketers to tap into Reddit's unique, interest-driven discussions.

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Editor's Note:

March 14, 2024 at 6:45 PM—TikTok issued an official statement from its CEO, Shou Chew. In this statement, he addressed the proposed bill to ban TikTok, sharing the company's response and perspective on the matter