Alex Song’s Post

Lots of notable stories in today's brandtrackers that stand out (link in comments): - What CAA is doing (post buyout from Pinault) is very interesting, as content and entertainment grows re: consumer marketing - Economy: JPow may have actually accomplished the soft landing, but no one wants to say it out loud to jinx it (Fed wants MoM data to ensure its working, so they will always say, we are proceeding with caution. BUT seeing inflation drop, consumer spending momentum slow down, and we're seeing UK inflation numbers drop as well). These are good things - Social Gaming is top of mind, seeing Netflix drop new games. Also watching what Amazon does in this space between their internal initiatives and Twitch - Social E-Commerce continues to build bridges where moats existed, with Amazon + Snap partnership (FB, IG & TikTok already secured for in-platform purchasing as well) - Meta moving into China is huge re: opening up new market - Agencies embracing social + influencers/creators as a must have from a nice to have - FAST is on fire - Disney overall portfolio structure will be revealed soon, as the portfolio gets chopped up - WBD is like watching a train wreck in slow motion - Google Anti-trust trial is giving us all the rumor goods - Luxury feeling economic winds - Roblox can't be ignored, as it continues to post good numbers + evolve in-game ad experiences - Media is continuing to prove its importance for agencies as they struggle to adapt service offerings - Some creepy AI/Avatar + Home Scanning tools from our favorite tech companies

Tried & Tested Repeatedly🔬 In our work with various brands at Catalyst, we've found that video consistently drives scalable success on Meta. We think it's time to prioritise 'creative velocity' as a key metric for most DTC brands 📈 Our experience shows that the secret to social growth lies in two main factors: 1. Video Usage 2. Creative Variety Statics typically contribute to only 10-20% of monthly sales. While they help lower CPA, they rarely generate the volume needed for significant growth. And don’t forget, tools like Adfind are fantastic for sparking new creative ideas. 💡

Retail Media Networks offer brands and advertisers new ways to drive discovery and revenue. But... Challenge: Media inventory limitations impact retailer conversion and margins (especially when traffic is sent off-platform to Meta or Google). Solution: Genuin creates video-powered communities within a retailer’s site and app. This allows consumers to engage with beloved brands through relevant organic, exclusive, and sponsored content. We call it a 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤. For retailers seeking deeper consumer connections, we provide a better platform to monetize media and boost sales via shoppable video posts from consumer and media brands, creators & advocates. Outcome: More MAUs, more session time, more ad impressions = new revenue, higher conversion rates, and bigger basket sizes.

This is the rallying call - now is the time to lean in. "Marketers need to work together as an industry—that means Meta, agencies and brands—as they continue to develop these features and experiences so that they provide value to businesses and people, while ensuring they are being built responsibly. Together, there is a unique opportunity to shape the future of the advertising and marketing industry. Let’s get to it."

Adv Ketchup 🍟 Snackable news that deserve your attention about what happened in Marketing & Advertising last week: - TikTok now allows users/creators to build AR Filters within the app - Meta announces two new Video & AI Image Generation Tools - You can’t run Ads on Meta Platforms if you are subscribed to Ad-free version in EU - X is losing advertisers again, IBM & Apple paused their Ad Campaigns. - New AI Ads seen in Google’s SGE AI Feed - Roblox is promoting Video Portal Ads that will enable brands to display in-game video advertisements - Amazon allows users to shop directly from Snapchat - Apple asked Amazon to block rival Ads on their products pages - Burger King partner with Fila to launch a new branded sneakers and otherside McDonald’s replied preparing the launch of McCrocs with Crocs - Snapchat & NYX’s unique partnership to revive NYX’s product demand, using AR Ads Anything else ? Drop it in the comments

Would you pay USD 14 per month to hide your personal data? 💭 That's exactly what Meta is banking on. The US tech giant plans to roll out monthly subscriptions in response to tightening marketing budgets and pressure from regulators. What does this mean for you? 👇 As users opt out of targeted advertising, it will become more important than ever to refine your content strategy and messaging. 🪝 Hooks; 👀 Visual branding; ⌨️ Keyword signaling; and 🛒 Omni-channel journey planning will be your levers to pull when it comes to finding your brand's tribe on social media. With Acuity, we create effective marketing strategies that support your e-commerce goals. Visit our website to find out more. 🔗Link in the comments.

🚀 We're reaching the tipping point for significant growth, for shoppable content and social commerce, but it comes with a twist from the expected rollout. 💡 Keep an eye on the smaller, agile DTC brands as they embrace this strategy in unique and creative ways. It's not just about moving products anymore. Instead, the focus is on amplification to build affinity, collecting data, and nurturing two-way relationships. Think brand entertainment combined with creating FOMO through limited "drops" or sales. 📈 This could potentially lead to monetizing a marketing channel. Leading the charge are creator-led brands, who have mastered the entertainment-first approach that aligns perfectly with this strategy. Meanwhile, larger brands with a more traditional mindset may face challenges in adapting. 🔍 Don't overlook the growth of TikTok Shop this year as a valuable case study. The platform is eagerly promoting commerce content, and we're starting to see success stories from smaller DTC brands that have embraced it early on. #content #contentstrategy #community #brand #entertainment #marketing #socialcommerce

Predictions and Trends for Brands to Capitalize On Chaos and Silos in Advertising We're moving towards a fragmented ad landscape, beyond the dominant Google, Meta, and TikTok. With tightening margins, new ad platforms are emerging: - Self-serve ads for newsletters, in-stream content, postcards, and podcasts. - Brands need to experiment with niche platforms and channels. For example, a company owning 29 content sites and multiple YouTube channels is creating its own ad network. Ad Placements in Live Selling Soon, ad placements will become integrated with live selling creators, much like TikTok: - Meta and Google will incorporate live selling features. - Opportunities for brands to pay live sellers to promote or feature products. Similar to TV show product placements, brands can: - Pay platforms to display ads during live streams. - Pay creators to sell products. - Pay to have products featured in the scene. AI and the Surge in In-Person Experiences Post-COVID, there's a growing desire for in-person experiences, which will deepen with AI: - Brands, especially in SaaS, are capitalizing on themed in-person events, a strategy not yet widely seen in DTC. - Eg: An eco-friendly apparel brand could organize eco-conscious fashion shows, DIY upcycling workshops, and sustainability talks. Some brands are already seeing higher profits from trade shows than from ads. Creating Additional Revenue Streams With shrinking margins, brands are exploring new revenue streams: - Collaborating with non-competing brands. - Including ads from complementary brands in their email campaigns. - Becoming affiliates to promote non-competing products. Although this might seem like a lot to take in, the advertising landscape is becoming more complex and competitive. Brands need to continuously adapt and innovate to stay ahead. #AdTrends #MarketingInnovation #LiveSelling #AI #InPersonExperiences #NichePlatforms #RevenueStreams #FutureOfAds #BrandStrategy #DigitalMarketing #MarketingTips

Marketing Monday post (2/10) - 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭. The Rise of GMAY and domination in the digital ad world. The digital advertising market is experiencing robust growth, forecasted to become a $1 trillion sector within a few years. Google, Meta, Amazon, and YouTube (GMAY) account for over 50% of the global digital advertising market and continue to gain market share. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 is driven by: ✅ the emergence of high-speed internet ✅ the widespread adoption of smartphones ✅ increased penetration of social media platforms ✅ the rapid expansion of the e-commerce industry Amazon has the highest 3-year growth CAGR (+26%) among the top 4 players. In case you are looking for TikTok and it's ad revenue: - 2021 ad revenue: $3.9B - 2022 ad revenue: $9.9B - 2023 ad revenue: $13.2B    ↳ with the 3-year CAGR at 84% 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧 2023: 1) Google: $238B 2) Meta: $131B 3) Amazon: $47B 4) YouTube: $31.5B 5) TikTok: $13.2B 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 vs. 2022 show different trends: 1) TikTok: +55% 2) Amazon: +24% 3) Meta: +16% 4) YouTube: +8% 5) Google: +6%   𝐀𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 - per WARC report (link in comments): ✅ social media will be the fastest-growing medium ✅ retail media will also be among the fastest-growing advertising channels ✅ connected TV (CTV) is also projected to grow significantly It will be interesting to see the development of retail media: ↳ my bet it may even surpass social media growth Photo by Quartr