What's the Story? September 2023
A round up from 256 on the marketing news you might have missed
TikTok commercialising creativity, X/Twitter fast-tracking its demise, Christmas taking centre stage (yes, really), and free tickets to the hottest content show in town to boot...
The new edition of What’s the Story is here. Let's dig in.
The 2
Trends and interesting advances
1. TikTok puts another nail in X’s coffin
Twitter – oh, apologies, X – is slowly but steadily going down. Not surprisingly, Musk’s sporadic changes and questionable choices don’t instil confidence in the platform’s audience or advertisers. Meta’s newly launched Threads, a text-based app that seamlessly integrates with Instagram and is openly positioned as “sanely run Twitter”, has visibly accelerated the decay process.
And now, it looks like TikTok put yet another (if not final) nail in X’s volatile coffin. From now on, the Chinese (video-driven) platform allows its users to share text-based posts as “another way to express themselves”. However, TikTok adds its dose of signature fun rather than simply sticking to plain text and allows users to add sounds, stickers, and even Duets.
As marketers and content creators, we see this as an opportunity for using new formats to connect with the existing audience. However, more importantly, the text-based nature of the posts means that TikTok opens its doors to two new cohorts: people who were previously hesitant or uncomfortable using the video format and a more mature audience looking for something that can embody what Twitter/X used to be at its peak. And that is something we, at 256, will be keeping a close eye on.
2. X pits journalists against content creators
Speaking of questionable decisions made by Musk... Remember those handy Twitter/X’s preview cards that provided much-needed context for your posts? Well, from now on, they are no more. In yet another bizarre move, Musk decided to strip away the automated header and preview text snippet previously displayed under a post, leaving the image preview there on its lonesome. This change should supposedly make the messages more visually appealing and bring the journalists (X’s original backbone) back to the platform. Considering X’s unfortunate reputation and recent commercialisation, we don’t think this small tweak will make much of a difference. It will, however, strongly impact us as content creators and marketers.
First of all, you’ll need to rely on the available 280 characters (unless you happen to be a subscriber or a Premium user) to convey your message. With that in mind, adding a prompt straight to your accompanying image might not be a bad idea. There is also a chance that the change will affect your historic posts, reducing their effectiveness. In that case, it would be wise to revisit those topics if you want to keep them relevant. All in all, we’re sceptical of this latest development that seems quite forced. After all, trading content effectiveness for aesthetics doesn’t seem like a good move in the long term.
The 5
Developments in digital
Google becoming more business-friendly, Instagram treading on thin ice with advertisers, Threads gasping for a second breath, and more. Check out our latest blog post to discover the latest digital trends and developments that you can’t afford to ignore.
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The 6
Words of wisdom
Start planning your Christmas campaigns now!
Yes, really.
As the warm summer days gently give way to the vibrant hues of autumn, we recommend you start thinking turkey and mulled wine. While it might be tempting to focus on back-to-school and Halloween campaigns first, the Christmas one is not something to be rushed and left until the last minute.
Think of your campaign as a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. You wouldn’t want to throw everything at it and see what sticks (though, maybe you would, and there’s no judgment here, but that would break our metaphor, so bear with us). Each ornament, light, and ribbon are meticulously placed to create a breathtaking sight. Similarly, crafting an impactful Christmas campaign requires time, thoughtful strategy, and flawless execution.
If you start planning early, you have time to:
?? Analyse and refine: Look at the data and learn from your past holiday campaigns. What worked? What could have been better? Use these insights to inform this year’s strategy.
?? Be creative: Creativity flows when you have time to brainstorm, experiment, and refine your ideas without the pressure of a looming deadline.
?? Perfect your message: Crafting compelling messages that resonate with your audience takes time. Start early, and you can polish your content to perfection.
?? Catch mistakes: By getting a head start, you ensure a smoother execution process. From design to deployment, you'll have room to address any unforeseen hiccups.
Looking for a helping hand to launch a perfect holiday campaign that shines brighter than Rudolph's nose? Give us a shout.
You're invited
Tired of content chaos? Join Mark Scully, our Head of Digital, Innovation & Strategy, and Pedro Pascal (well, almost) as they delve into the world of topic clusters and help you break free from the chains of disorganised content strategy.
Whether you’re a seasoned content pro or just starting out, this webinar is packed with experience-driven insights to help you craft a content strategy that hits all the right notes.