Digital Debrief 9.25.2024

Marketing, Influencer & Advertising?

TREND: Influencer Marketing Hub recently released its "Top 34 Branding Statistics and Trends to Know in 2024" report and here are a few highlights:

• There is an increasingly dynamic and data-driven nature of branding.?
• Trust, authenticity, and personalization are at the forefront, with 81% of customers requiring trust in a brand before purchasing.?
• Personalization and sustainability are gaining momentum, with 89% of business leaders citing personalization as key to success.?
• Employee-Generated Content (EGC) is emerging as a powerful strategy, offering authenticity and reducing content creation costs by showcasing genuine employee perspectives.

• Sour Patch Kids has launched the Sour Translator, an app aimed at helping Gen Z employees decode corporate jargon as they enter the workforce. The app simplifies job lingo and offers redeemable candy coupons at Albertsons and Safeway. Supported by retail media, influencer partnerships, and digital out-of-home ads, the campaign creatively engages young professionals navigating their first jobs while tying marketing efforts to in-store purchases.

• Kay Jewelers is refreshing its brand to attract Gen Z and millennial shoppers, launching a new ad campaign and modernizing its stores with technology for personalized experiences. The retailer will also debut its "Studio By Kay" collection in October, offering everyday jewelry at accessible prices. This revamp aims to compete with younger, trendier brands and boost e-commerce, while retaining its iconic "Every Kiss Begins with Kay" tagline in a diverse new campaign ahead of the holiday season.

• Hi-Chew has introduced a new mascot, Chewbie, as part of a broader marketing effort to expand its US presence. The adorable character, designed to appeal to Gen Z and Millennial fans, will feature in campaigns across social media, in-person activations, and a digital billboard takeover in Times Square. This initiative supports Hi-Chew's push to grow its US market, where the brand has seen significant sales growth in recent years.

• Amazon has launched an AI-powered video ad generator that converts product images into video ads, available to advertisers using its Sponsored Brands campaign at no extra cost. This tool, currently in beta, aims to make video advertising more accessible to small and mid-sized marketers. Alongside, Amazon introduced a live image capability for adding dynamic effects to static images, part of its push to expand AI-driven ad solutions ahead of the holiday season.

• Levi’s is teasing a potential collaboration with Beyoncé, posting a drawing on Instagram that hints at "A New Chapter." Following the organic buzz generated by Beyoncé's song "Levii's Jeans," which led to a 19.87% increase in store visits, Levi’s is continuing to leverage the "Beyoncé effect." This collaboration aims to further strengthen the brand's cultural relevance and in-store engagement.

Social Media

LinkedIn:

• LinkedIn has released a new guide for its Revenue Attribution Report, a tool that helps marketers better understand the ROI of their LinkedIn ad campaigns. The report provides detailed insights beyond standard analytics by syncing CRM data with LinkedIn Business Manager. The guide explains how to set up, interpret, and use the report to track performance at both account and campaign levels, offering a more comprehensive view of ad spend results.

Meta:

• Meta's new “Responsible Business Practices Report” spotlights its AI advancements, the metaverse vision, and social impact efforts. Key themes include democratizing AI access and enhancing privacy. Marketers can expect AI-driven innovations to boost engagement and connectivity across regions.?
• Instagram has introduced 38 new stickers for Stories and Reels, including hearts and days of the week, offering fresh ways to enhance content. It has also updated its "Emoji Pong" game, allowing users to challenge friends in DMs with an improved interface. These playful updates boost engagement among students looking for fun, interactive features.

TikTok:?

• TikTok is shutting down its "TikTok Music" app due to operational challenges and lack of user interest. Originally launched as "Resso" in India, the app failed to gain traction and will close by November 28, 2024. TikTok plans to refocus on enhancing music integration within its main platform, strengthening its role as a promotional hub for artists.
• TikTok has banned Russian state media accounts, such as Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti, for covertly attempting to influence US elections. This follows Meta's similar actions, reinforcing efforts to curb foreign influence and the increasing focus on maintaining platform integrity and transparency during election periods.
• TikTok has updated its Search Ads campaigns, allowing advertisers to target specific keywords for more precise ad placement. With 23% of users searching within 30 seconds of opening the app, this feature enhances control over how ads appear in search results, boosting visibility and conversions. This aligns with TikTok's growing role as a product discovery and e-commerce platform.
• TikTok invites brands to apply for its 2024 Holiday Gift Guide, which will showcase products across the app and offer prominent exposure through TikTok Shop and influencer promotions. To qualify, brands must commit to spending $12,500 (Silver tier) or $19,500 (Gold tier) on TikTok ads over the next three months. While this offers potential for increased visibility, inclusion in the guide is not guaranteed.
• TikTok has introduced third-party measurement tools to track misinformation, ensuring advertisers that their ads aren't placed alongside misleading content. Partners like DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and Zefr will provide post-campaign data on ad placement safety. This move aims to reassure brands, particularly ahead of sensitive periods like the US elections and could set a new industry standard for brand safety.
• TikTok is expanding its subscription feature, allowing more creators to offer exclusive content and perks to paying subscribers. Creators can provide private communication, exclusive content, and community identifiers across three pricing tiers. This update strengthens community engagement and offers new revenue streams for creators with over 10K followers, helping TikTok retain top talent by providing better monetization options.

Pinterest:?

• Pinterest has introduced new interactive features: "Collage Remixing" and "Collage Sharing." Collage Remixing allows users to collaborate by editing and building on existing collages, while Collage Sharing lets users download their creations as videos for sharing on other platforms. These updates boost engagement, especially among Gen Z users, by offering creative, collaborative ways to interact with content.

Snapchat:?

• Snapchat is now integrating Google’s Gemini AI system to enhance its AI capabilities, shifting from its previous reliance on OpenAI's GPT models. This move aims to improve the "My AI" bot's ability to process text, audio, images, and videos, offering more dynamic, multimodal support. The partnership with Google suggests that Snapchat seeks more advanced AI solutions to better align with users' interactions.

Reddit:?

• Reddit has launched an Ads Inspiration Library, showcasing top-performing ads categorized by industry, budget, and ad type. This resource offers AI-powered insights and creative strategies to help businesses enhance their ad campaigns on Reddit, providing inspiration and guidance for maximizing conversions and engagement.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Search?

• Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Google to integrate AI into HBO Max, aiming to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of captions. The "caption AI" tool is expected to reduce captioning costs by 50% and production time by 80%, while human oversight remains part of the process. This collaboration promises to improve accessibility for Max subscribers, particularly for those with hearing loss, and could lead to broader adoption of AI-human hybrid solutions across the streaming industry. Read more from Clayton Durant : https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/claytondurant_warner-bros-discovery-partners-with-google-activity-7244759093146447872-gbIO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop?
• At Meta's Connect conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the company's first augmented reality glasses, Orion, though they remain in internal development with no release date yet. Zuckerberg envisions AR glasses eventually replacing smartphones. Meta also unveiled the more affordable Quest 3S VR headset and announced updates to its Llama AI model and new voice prompts for its AI chatbot.

Stay tuned for the next Digital Debrief, and don’t forget to subscribe!?- SF