TikTok forced to shut down reward-to-watch feature

1/5 Amazon's new Prime channel allows you to shop the TV show you're watching

Amazon Live has revealed its new shoppable, free ad-supported channel (FAST) this week. The channel is available on both Prime Video and Amazon’s Freevee ad-supported-on-demand (AVOD) service. Open to U.S consumers, the new channel will allow users to shop, engage and browse from the content they are viewing on their TV using their mobile phones. Users will be able to shop directly from the 24/7 programming, which features major celebrities and brands such as Lala Kent, Tastemade and The Bump. In support of the new channel, Amazon will be unveiling a new original show featuring Paige DeSorbo called Giggly Squad in June. (Via Retail Dive)?

2/5 Google delays the end of cookies in Chrome for the third time?

Marketers have heard this one before. Google has chosen for the third time to delay their removal of cookie technology from Chrome browsers. The tech giant had promised to phase out this tracking technology in the latter half of 2024, after a brief test run for 1% of users in January. However, in a company blog post on April 23, Google announced that it will be looking to start the deprecation process early next year instead. Yet, many marketers have already moved on. Major ad industry figures have made it clear this week that despite Google’s failure to launch, their post-cookie plans aren’t slowing down. (Via Marketing Dive)?

3/5 Coca-Cola is making sweet, sweet music with its new AI-powered instrument

Coke is continuing its AI-powered advertising with yet another exciting campaign. The brand has unveiled Coke SoundZ, an AI-powered instrument that allows users to hear the uplifting sounds of its Zero Sugar drink. U.S and European consumers will have access to the instrument via a digital app that converts the bubbly, fizzy sounds associated with Coke into melodies. A select group of social creators, DJs and producers have been sent a bottle-shaped physical version of the instrument. (Via The Drum)?

4/5 Threads overtakes X in the US?

Threads has finally left X in its dust new data reports have revealed. The Meta run platform is officially seeing more daily US users and has been since December of 2023. Yet, X is still outperforming Threads in terms of monthly users. In April this year, Threads averaged approximately 28 million daily active users, whereas X only reached 22 million. Whilst Threads still has a long way to go in unseating X and achieving its goal of 1 billion users, this new data shows success is in sight. (Via Social Media Today)?

5/5 TikTok forced to shut down its reward-to-watch feature due to EU concerns

TikTok has had to abruptly shut down its reward-to-watch feature after the EU threatened to block the service. Stating fears of addiction among children, digital commissioner Thierry Breton said the platform failed to prove that TikTok Lite complied with new Digital Service Act laws. After claiming he believed the feature would be as “addictive as cigarettes” TikTok preemptively wrote to Breton saying it intends to suspend the service. (Via The Guardian)?

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Lloyd Williams, Head of Strategy @ Socially Powerful.

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