Pinterest Files IPO; TikTok Working On Biddable Ads

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Want to know what’s brewing in social media this week? Dig in and find out what TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are up to.

Pinterest Confidentially Applies For Stock Listing

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Pinterest has confidentially filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a stock market listing.

Why it matters: An initial public offering is expected to add significant monetary value to the company.

The details: Per The Wall Street Journal, the company is seeking a late June listing that would be underwritten by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase. At the moment, Pinterest hosts 250 million monthly active users and makes its money from serving as a platform for online shopping and offering advertising options but it’s not clear how well those efforts have been paying off. The stock, however, will value the company at $12 billion or more, The Journal reported.

TikTok To Launch Biddable Ads

According to Adweek, TikTok is working on a biddable advertising option on the platform.

Why it matters: Biddable ad feature, in which advertisers will be bidding against one another for the ad impressions, will make the platform accessible to more marketers.

The details: At the moment, TikTok offers only advertisers direct IO (insertion order) buys, meaning an advertiser works directly with the platform to buy and place ads. TikTok began testing ads in the U.S. in 2019, and will be offering four different ad formats, Adweek reported: in-feed video ads, brand takeover ads that appear when a user first opens the app during the takeover period, banner ads that would inspire TikTok users to participate in brand-designed video challenges, and branded lenses that a TikTok user may select to use in their own videos.

Travel Marketers To Increase Spending On Facebook and Instagram Ads in 2019 

A survey, conducted by Qualtrics for a tech firm Sojern, showed that in 2019, 55 percent of 611 marketers surveyed worldwide intend to increase spending on Facebook and Instagram above all other media.

Why it matters: Millennials and Gen Z’s wanderlust has been covered extensively. Right now, the best way to reach these audiences is via, arguably, the most aspirational platform, Instagram, or the most popular one, Facebook.

The details: According to the survey, many travel marketers will employ new Facebook audience targeting options within destinations, hotels, and flights. Jackie Lamping, vice president of marketing at Sojern, told Skift, “It used to be several years ago that Facebook and Instagram were just branding plays. Whereas now you can use them to target new audiences and deliver personalized messages and drive direct bookings and do retargeting and also do brand-building.” Other tools travel marketers plan to get busy with include Facebook Travel Ads, Facebook and Instagram Stories and a photo- and video- montage. It is also important to mention that according to the survey, marketers intend to shift more of their dollars to Instagram to target younger audiences who favor the photo app over Facebook.

Marc Zuckerberg Discusses Targeted Advertisements With Harvard Professor

Harvard Law Today reported that Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Harvard Professor Jonathan Zittrain had a 100-minute discussion about encryption, “information fiduciaries” and targeted advertisements on February 11, as a part of Harvard’s Techtopia series.

Why it matters: During the discussion, Zuckerberg touched upon many users and marketers’ pain points and concerns, including target advertising, “Clear History” feature and his take on Facebook’s potential ad-free subscription model.

The details: According to Harvard Law Today, when discussing advertising with Zuckerberg, Zittrain said, “I imagine it might be possible to issue me a score of how much I’ve earned for Facebook this year. It could simply say ‘this is how much we collected on the basis of you, in particular, being exposed to an ad,’” which in Zittrain’s opinion, could lead to a conversation about an ad-free Facebook subscription model.

To which Zuckerberg, replied, “Are we going to let people pay to have different controls on data use than other people? And my answer to that is a hard no.” Facebook’s CEO then described an upcoming feature, “Clear History,” which would let users delete some of the data that Facebook accumulates about its users for ad targeting purposes.

Zuckerberg and Zittrain’s conversation transcript can be found here.

Digital Ads Will Surpass Traditional For The First Time

As reported by Forbes and Washington Post, eMarketer predicts digital advertising will overtake traditional for the first time this year.

Why it matters: In a natural shift, marketers have been spending more on programmatic, social and digital media. Amazon looks to benefit quite a bit.

The details: According to the report, advertisers will spend $129.34 billion on digital ads this year compared to 109.48 billion on traditional advertising. Traditional ad spend will reportedly decline from $114.84 billion in 2018 to $104.32 billion in 2021. During that same period, digital ad spending will climb up from $108.64 billion to $172.29 billion.

As per eMarketer, Amazon is seeing strong results, even though it ranks No. 3 in digital ad revenue share. Amazon’s ad business will surge by 50 percent, and it is closing the gap between itself and Facebook (22.1 percent).

LinkedIn Is Developing Intelligent Hiring Experience

Ebn reported on Wednesday that LinkedIn will merge its LinkedIn Recruiter, Jobs and Pipeline Builder features into one product—the Intelligent Hiring Experience—in summer 2019.

Why it matters: The new upgrade should make both hiring and applying process more convenient and organized.

The details: The service will allow messages between recruiters and potential talent to be shared with HR professionals and hiring managers, as well as let the recruiter and corporate hiring teams exchange notes on each candidate. The new AI will also take into an account previously suggested candidates’ hiring status, as it modifies its personalized algorithm.

YouTube Introduces One-Time Warning

In the report published on YouTube Creator blog, the company announced that it will impose new penalties for creators who violate the company’s Community Guidelines.

Why it matters: The company is introducing opportunities for the users to better understand the policies, a consistent penalty for each strike, and better notifications to create a safer environment on the platform.

The details: Starting February 25, all channels will receive a one-time warning the first time they post content that violates guidelines, with no penalties to their channel (the content, however, will be removed). In total, YouTube will give the violators three strikes, which expire after 90 days. On the first strike, the ability to upload content to the platform freezes for seven days; the second strike prevents the violator from posting to YouTube for two weeks; the third strike terminates the channel.

Facebook Wants To Develop Its Own AI Chips

According, to the report from The Financial Times, Facebook has plans to develop its own artificial intelligence chips to compete with the products that are currently available on the market.

Why it matters: With this technology, Facebook will be able to provide faster computing and implement new AI innovations.

The details: In his interview for The Financial Times, Facebook’s chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, implied that Facebook is currently working on developing its own custom ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) chips to support its AI software. “Facebook has been known to build its hardware when required—build its own ASIC, for instance. If there’s any stone unturned, we’re going to work on it,” he said in the interview.

Twitter Announces First International Markets To Receive Political Advertising Checks

Twitter reported on Tuesday in a blog post that the company is expanding checks on political advertisers outside the U.S. to include Australia and India, as well as all the member states of the European Union.

Why it matters: With this policy, Twitter aims to support its goal of protecting the health of the public conversation on their platform in addition to providing transparent context around all political bodies using Twitter’s advertising products.

The details: The policy will be enforced starting March 11th in Australia, India and EU. This means that after the enforcement, only certified advertisers will be allowed to run political ads on the platform. Political advertisers can apply here and complete the process of certification.

Snapchat Will Provide The NHL Highlights Through A New Show And Curated Stories

Variety magazine reported on Tuesday that Snapchat and National Hockey League have struck a new multiyear deal.

Why it matters: “What’s special about Snapchat is their users skew younger,” said NHL chief marketing officer Heidi Browning. The pact with Snap is “an important way for us to connect with our core fans but also to reach new fans…. Snap is always innovating, and they recognize that the generation that uses their products demands new feature sets.”

The details: The NHL, in partnership with Disney Streaming Services, will be delivering a new weekly show on Snapchat, highlighting the top 10 plays of the previous week and in addition, will be creating Curated Stories on the platform for select games and marquee events. The NHL content will be available to Snapchaters worldwide.

Nielsen Study: ‘America’s Mosaic Of Buyers Growing More Diverse’

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A new study by Nielsen found women and minorities use handheld devices more than the rest of the U.S. population. “With newer generations coming into the consumer fold, the U.S.’ mosaic of buyers grows more diverse. As such, measuring these audiences has become increasingly pertinent—not only because of the value of representation but because these audiences are helping to shape the future of how we consume and communicate,” the report says.

According to Nielsen, African Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanics make up 40 percent of the population in the U.S. and that number is only expected to increase to 50 percent by 2044. Women also spend six percent more time on apps and using the internet on tablets compared to men. Women mostly use mobile devices for social networking.

Nielsen’s index for the report was based on weekly time spent. The report reveals women had an index level of 106 when it came to their tablet usage, compared to 104 for smartphone usage. The study found women spend 16 percent more time with video-focused apps and websites and about 17 percent more time streaming audio on tablets than all tablet users.

Black, Asian American and Hispanic adults spend more time using their apps and the internet on their smartphones than the rest of the American population. African Americans spend around two hours and 47 minutes on their smartphones, making them the number one in time spent per day. When it comes to tablet usage, Asian American spend the most time, averaging 45 minutes. The average total of the three groups is two hours and 19 minutes on smartphones and 43 minutes on tablets.

Another study found young Hispanic consumers are driving population growth in the U.S. They’re welcoming technology faster than other groups. Latinos 18 and older are nine percent more likely to own a smartphone, 11 percent more likely to own a game console, and 13 percent more likely to own a smartwatch compared to non-Hispanic whites. They’re more targeted in advertising. Last year, marketers’ spend grew 96 percent on Hispanic audiences when it came to advanced demographic audience segment data according to a report by Lotame.

Per the study, “Younger generations and their increasingly diverse profiles will command more spending power as they mature. That means understanding their unique preferences and habits, especially for mobile devices, is paramount to connecting with these audiences.”

In January, Nielsen released a report on Millennial shopping habits and found this group is more active on social media compared to their older counterparts. Around 61 percent of Millennials purchased their FMCG products online over a three-month span. When it comes to the device about 40 percent of those purchases were done through a mobile phone, only nine percent less than desktop/laptop purchases.

MWC19: Interview With GSMA Program Director Andrew Parker 

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Technologists and mobile marketers the world over are preparing to descend on Barcelona for this year’s GSMA’s MWC 2019. AList sat down with Andrew Parker, GSMA’s program marketing director for IoT, to get some insights on what’s new this year and what marketers should look out for at the annual event.

How will this year’s MWC be different from last year’s event? 

The main difference this year is the theme of the whole event, which is Intelligent Connectivity. This year you are going to see a broader view of the future of mobile. This year the focus is on 5G, it’s obviously in sharp focus this year. The developments of IoT, the developments of smart platforms such as AI and Big Data. Because what we are arguing is the development of those three technologies is going to have a massive impact on the world. Three very exciting, emerging technologies. So you are going to see more demonstrations of the technology that represent those three technologies, rather than just mobile.

What are some trends at MWC that marketers should look out for? 

For marketers there is the use of mobile more and more; it’s the whole range of things. For example, you see mobile apps using AR to promote products. I think AR, particularly on mobile, is something that marketers can apply fairly quickly because they can build it into apps. One of my favorites is an app where you can call the walls of your house to see what the color will look like. For marketers, in pure mobile, I think that’s one example.

Other aspects of broader, slightly more advanced areas—I think the use of smart advertising, where we to see external advertising taking advantage of mobile-connected screens and reacting through the day to different audiences, so they can present different messages to people passing by. You will see more connected billboards—quality billboard space is something of a higher premium—and certainly 5G enables high-definition video. Also, the two-way nature of 5G—being able to recognize people that are passing the billboard. It depends how far out you want to look.

By this time next year, do you think 5G will still be the ‘shiny new thing’?

I think so because 5Gs are rolling out this year. It’s going to take some time for the networks to roll out and for the products to mature to deliver applications. We are still at a very early stage there. 5G just rolling out. I think it’s about how 5Gs are being utilized and grow up together with the other technology. We’ll be over pure speed or pure low latency. What we will be more interested in is the application across the network. Hopefully, there will be more case of what you can do with 5G, how it will impact entertainment, sports, transportation and public services. The big applications. We’ll get over the basic 5G, but I think we’ll still be talking about how all these other technologies merged together to deliver real benefit. And I hope that, whether the debate goes because it’s all about the benefits for consumers and businesses.

In regards to planning MWC, technology moves so fast, how do you anticipate and also leave room for innovation as you are planning through the year?

The way we do it is we talk to a lot of people. Out ideal piece of technology that we like to show in something like Innovation City is something which isn’t too far out but [also] hasn’t been seen before. We engage with the number of businesses and now the GSMA certainly is reaching out. And what we do is we are trying to reach out to the operators, but we also reach out to a number of other industries. And certainly, in my area, the IoT perspective, the more companies that we talk to and partner the more interesting [it gets]. They’re the ones who give us those cutting edge applications.

For example, we’ve got this thing called Intelligent Water, which is going to be at Innovation City this year. And that’s a company called BeWhere, who are working with the city of Toronto and they are putting sensors into the water pipelines to measure water pressure and determine where leaks are within the network. So the city of Toronto is using that data and [putting it] onto a platform and it helps to model the water network underground. With that example, to BeWhere they are partnering in Europe with Orange and with Huawei in Canada.

Therefore, you have to talk to a range of different people to get the demos and understand what’s happening in the marketplace. You can’t just look in one place anymore.

What are you personally are excited about? 

It’s a whole bunch of stuff on there. I’m really excited to see the SKYSHIP from KT. That’s basically an airship which coordinates drones and ground activity during an emergency crisis. That looks really cool. The idea is that if the base station goes up on an airship and the base station coordinates a whole range of different helpers in a zone.

Also looking forward to meeting Sophia as well. I’ve not actually met her before. Sophia is joining Innovation City this year and is going to give her own perspective of where sees 5G going because being a hard-wired, connected robot, which she is at the moment—she’s acquiring legs and will need mobile connectivity. Sophia will be talking about how she sees mobile helping her communicate with the cloud-based platform, which is basic intelligence. And also how AI is going to develop. Those couple of examples are ones that I’m certainly excited about.

ANA Study Spotlights Ongoing Struggle With Diversity In Marketing

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Diversity is still an issue among marketers despite diversity initiatives. In a new study, minorities in advertising, marketing and other media industries found it “incredibly difficult” to break in and stay in the business. The most underrepresented groups are Hispanics, African Americans and Asian Americans.

The racial diversity breakdown among ANA members revealed about 7 percent are African Americans and 7 percent are Hispanic. The percentage increased marginally for Asian Americans at 11 percent.

The report “Chanting A More Diverse Pathway to Growth,” by the ANA Educational Foundation (AEF) interviewed new hires and students from racially diverse backgrounds. They pointed to four issues when it comes to inclusion. The first is “management disconnect.” Some respondents revealed they didn’t feel connected with their managers when it came to challenges they face as it relates to diversity. The report noted they lacked assurance saying they “often don’t trust them to share these experiences or perspectives for fear of ‘causing trouble’ and retaliation.”

Another aspect was “microaggressions,” where co-workers insulted their culture or intelligence and the respondents felt uncomfortable and helpless in how to deal with such situations. “Cultural Illiteracy” is another factor where the respondents felt uneasy because they didn’t want to cross the line and get past stereotypes. Finally, “Workplace Integration Dissonance,” was another area of concern for minorities. They didn’t feel confident talking about diversity because of fear of losing their jobs. Even when a conversation on culture came up, these respondents “carefully picked and chose their battles” for fear of being the only voice with a particular point-of-view.

“Contrary to what some may think, focusing on diversity and inclusion doesn’t come at the sacrifice of driving business—at NBCUniversal, we know that it enhances and improves our results,” said Craig Robinson, EVP and chief diversity officer at NBCUniversal.

The report states the industry needs to be held responsible when things go wrong—using H&M as an example of a brand that paid the price for missteps. To alleviate these issues, ANA’s Talent Foward Alliance is focusing on making marketing relevant to students, aiming to reconnect academia and the industry, recruit and actually retain talent and finally building a future for growth.

This report was a follow-up to a 2017 study “Bridging the Talent Disconnect: Charting Pathway to Future Growth,” which analyzed detachment between academia and the industry. This latest study—analyzing the same disconnect through a diversity lens—interviewed over 120 CMOs, ad agency executives, HR executives, line managers, university professors, deans, career counselors, new hires and college students between April and October of 2018.

TuneMoji’s CMO On Music In Marketing And Influencer Measurement

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TuneMoji, a content creation platform, is the first provider of licensed musical GIFs and is fully integrated into iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Twitter and Skype. Exclusive licensing deals with Universal, Warner and Sony allow TuneMoji to be the first to distribute GIFs layered with music.

Verena Papik, TuneMoji’s CMO, spoke to AList during the DEW Conference. The former EMEA director at Musical.ly—now TikTok—talked about music in marketing, influencers and social media.

What types of hurdles are marketers facing with incorporating music into their content?

The struggle with music is that it’s a very personal thing. Music is beautiful, everyone speaks the same language with music, it’s a very united place, however, it’s still so personal.  I feel—especially if you’re a brand—its very tough to pick the right music in order to support your advertising and everything you do. Also, to send the right message because everyone is interpreting music differently.

My background is from musical.ly, where you co-create as a brand and you might get influencers with music to create your content. That really speaks to everyone. One thing about TuneMoji is that we allow you to put your own music. Users can personalize and express their feelings with that social object.

The struggle for brands and for the marketers is to find a way to create a promotion with personalized music to every user—so every user can take their own advertisement and I believe that’s where it’s all going.

What is the future of music in marketing?

Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, even 15 seconds is already too long. For example, on Instagram stories, everyone is just tapping and no one is taking the time to watch the content. Everything needs to be right now and we need to know exactly what it is.

We saw it with YouTube where we started with five-minute videos to then musical.ly where you have 15-second videos to showcase your talent. There is no time for long texts, and its just going to get shorter and shorter.

The shortest form of a video is a GIF. Also, GIFs become more and more popular across all different age groups, as even your 70-year-old auntie now is on Instagram and changes the way she communicates and expresses herself.

That’s why I feel TuneMoji is ahead of the curve. I feel like we haven’t been analyzed really as a trend. At TuneMoji, we observed the market dynamics and what was happening, so, in order to become a trend you need to create that trend. I don’t think that music GIFs is a trend right now, but we are creating it.

How does TuneMoji utilize influencers?

We have influencers on our platform, but we are giving influencers the opportunity to grow and expand their audience. We have homegrown influencers and it’s very interesting- speaking of, we’ve discovered that the biggest one on the platform is a gamer from Twitch.

We work with everyone, from comedians to musicians. The music industry can really pursue artists and they can really see the benefit of the new platform. Our influencers really appreciate the content distribution with the multiple platform approach. Our influencers or the fans of the influencers can express their feelings within social messaging with their favorite influencer’s face and that becomes an advert for the influencing.

What are your thoughts on influencer marketing measurement?

I feel brands and marketers have become very sensitive to working with influencers because it got a bad reputation. I’m here to redefine engagement metrics. Now, everyone is looking into followers. For example, like how many followers do you have, but what does follower really mean in the end?

If you look into engagement metrics if you look into how many likes, it’s still not the ultimate north star engagement metric. What really matters as a brand—its not only how many people like the content—but if they’re such a fan of the content they become an advert for the content themselves. It’s about how many shares and how many sends. TuneMoji is built upon the sends.

Views is [also] a weak number to measure the engagement of short-form content, the actual engagement of sends and shares is the new format for industries to measure.

What trends will we see on social media platforms when it comes to music and marketing?

We’re relinking back to streaming services. We are creating an acquisition funnel for Apple music for streaming platforms. This is to see where it’s going, so we know how to incorporate streaming services as a music provider.

Streaming services are as relevant as well as the labels and have their table stake, so we are combining them into the marketing. If you send the TuneMoji, for example, within iMessage, what pops up is the Apple music icon and you can see which song it is and it links you back to the streaming service. For Apple music and other music providers, this is a great opportunity to engage with the users.

I feel that we are going into a general direction in online marketing and video marketing, where our artists and influencers are going to produce their promotion videos into those short gifs. It’s going to become way more popular. For example, if you like those meme pages on Instagram they don’t necessarily have a face, but the engagement metrics are insane. These people will also lead the new wave of influencers.

That’s another thing, it’s a matter of fact social media platforms have become the most harmful to youth and mental health. This is another issue as well, and being part of the media landscape I think it’s our responsibility to ensure that we are working on this topic and that we are ensuring that everyone is comfortable. We want to make sure we are not harming our youth and that we are actually working on improving mental health. That’s another part where TuneMoji steps in, with our positive, all-inclusive strategy in making everyone authors.

Co-creation is the biggest topic nowadays in engagement, to let fans co-create a music video or even a song via social media collaborations. Fans want to be involved in the whole production and own a part of the artist’s piece, that’s why online challenges are working as the best engagement tool for promoting songs.

What do you think has changed in music since your time at musical.ly?

I think a lot has changed. I think with musical.ly and now TikTok, they did an awesome job in bringing the sound back to life and really encouraging everyone to be a part of in showing your talent. It created this kind of entertainment culture. I feel that it definitely allowed many users who didn’t think they had the talent to actually discover it. With also doing that, they also showed 15-second videos is enough.

It’s enough to have something to share, it’s not too long. It’s shorter now and I feel it encouraged people to be more open to social media as well. It created large amounts of community—the YouTubers, the Viners, the musical.lys—this very musical oriented community. It allowed the music industry to come back.

As there is a trend for the younger audience to escape from social media into social messaging, the music industry will need to find the right social object to stay relevant, as sharing a song from streaming services is not sexy (long link, the user most of the time has to leave messenger).

Report Finds Differences In Tastes Of Millennials And Gen Z

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A new study into Gen Z from Atlantic Re:think, the Atlantic’s creative marketing group—in partnership with Comscore and Harvard College Consulting Group—finds that Gen Z and Millennials perceive brands and media outlets in dramatically different ways.

While the creative marketing group studied young adults within the 18-24 age range, they discovered, for example, that out of 60 brands adored by Millennials only two received a solid “like” from Gen Z: YouTube and Apple.

This came as no surprise though, because video was reported by Gen Z as the most preferred platform. A study participant confirmed, “I like videos because they are visual things. Visuals make things more concrete.”

The sources through which Gen Z is getting their brand awareness also differs from Millennials. About 55 percent said they use products recommended by a friend; 48 percent were influenced by social media ads; 40 percent said ads on their favorite media encouraged purchase; 36 percent used products advocated by an influencer and finally only 24 percent emulated celebrities in their shopping choices.

Brand’s physical stores encouraged 41 percent of participants, while only 10 percent were influenced by a brand’s e-commerce site, which shows that real-life experiences still matter to Gen Z. For brands like GAP, Abercrombie & Fitch and others that provide beautiful in-store shopping experiences this could be a boon.

Many news sources that target Gen Z come off as patronizing, the study reported. By keeping this in mind, though, marketers can benefit from helping Gen Z to better understand the world around them, as only 34 percent of the participants claimed they were “exceptionally aware” of current events, world affairs and politics, compared to 84 percent who are only “curious” about those.

But it is important to note that while still very young but as opposed to Millennials, Gen Zs appear to be more empathetic and concerned with inclusion and diversity. For instance, 61 percent of Gen Z talked about being more likely to buy brands that have spokespeople who are more diverse (versus 52 percent of Millennials). Also, 62 percent are more likely to buy brands that have spokespeople they aspire to be like rather than spokespeople their age (versus 66 percent of Millennials).

“If someone I look up to likes the product, and especially if they recommend it without getting paid, I’m willing to take their word,” a study participant said.

Gen Z also believes that technology makes them more informed, connected and open-minded. And, nearly half of respondents said technology makes them anxious or stressed.

The research proposed some vital strategies to become Gen Z’s favorite brand like how enjoyable it to visit and shop in a brand’s stores; company’s treatment of its employees; the presence of options and ability to customize products and last but not least, the brand’s personality, eco-consciousness and the use of innovation.

Disney Considered Most Intimate Brand, Study Reveals

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Disney is the most intimate brand according to ‘MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2019 Study‘ surpassing Apple for the first time—who held the mantle for the past three years. When a brand is intimate with its consumers it develops a sense of loyalty and connects with their emotions. Consumers are willing to pay a premium—about 20 percent more—for brands they are intimately connected to. Aside from industries like media and entertainment and telecommunications, automotive brands like Chevrolet, Harley-Davidson and Ford also have deeply connected with consumers.

U.S. Top Ten Most Intimate Brands 2019

  1. Disney
  2. Apple
  3. Amazon
  4. Chevrolet
  5. Netflix
  6. Harley-Davidson
  7. PlayStation
  8. YouTube
  9. Ford
  10. Chick-fil-A

“Apple’s fall to the second spot this year is substantial for three key reasons: first, it reflects the headwinds the company and brand are facing,” stated Mario Natarelli, managing partner at MBLM in the report. “Second, it highlights the fact that just like the human relationships that brand intimacy mimics, building and sustaining strong bonds is a continual process and third, the larger trend of the media & entertainment industry’s rise. Our demand for escapism and our collective need for a distraction from reality is factoring heavily in the brands that rose in 2019.”

Around 26 percent of those surveyed can’t live without Disney; men ranked as its top demographic. Apple and Chevrolet followed as the top intimate brands for males. There wasn’t a big difference between the two sexes. For women, Amazon, Disney and Apple were the brands they felt the most devoted to. When it comes to age, Apple and Disney ranked high with those 18 to 34, and YouTube ranked the highest. Amazon scored highest with those over 35. The report highlighted that media and entertainment brands tend to be more intimate with millennial.

Income also impacts which brands consumers have an emotional attachment to. Those making over $100,000 felt most intimate with Apple. The study found this group tends to prefer technology and telecommunication and retail industries. Those making between $35,000 to $100,000 chose Amazon as their number one intimate brand. This group, like younger demographics, bonded with media and entertainment brands.

The smartphone ecosystem has also altered brand intimacy. Brands that have a smartphone presence outperform those that do not. The report reveals the average brand intimacy quotient in the smartphone ecosystem was 38.8, higher than the overall study of 31.0. However, lines can be blurred. The report noted these brands enhance the smartphone experience because the device can be an object the consumer is genuinely attached to and uses the most on a daily basis.

For MBLM’s report, the agency and Praxis Research Partners conducted an online quantitative survey among 6,200 consumers in the U.S., Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. Respondents were between the ages of 18 to 64. According to MBLM, the survey was “designed primarily to understand the extent to which consumers have relationships with brands and the strength of those relationships from fairly detached to highly intimate.”

MWC19 Barcelona Panels, Parties & Networking

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With Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2019 around the corner, we give you the list of the top places to learn, mingle, network, exchange the thoughts and ideas, sip sangria, taste local tapas and experience some unforgettable moments.

Sunday, February 24th

Mobile Sunday 2019

Mobile Sunday is back! It’s an opportunity for local and visiting entrepreneurs, investors and other mobile industry stakeholders to get together for inspiring talks and lively discussions over beers and great food in a fantastic setting.

When: 6:00-11:00 p.m.

Where: Antiga Fabrica Estrella Damm, C/Rosselló 515

ClickBid Barcelona

Enjoy this networking event with a rooftop view and free drinks.

When: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Where: The Gates Barcelona Hotel rooftop

Monday, February 25th

Redefining Inclusion

GSMA Intelligence reports that by 2025, six billion citizens will be mobile subscribers. The question is, though, as mobile continues to bridge the social and digital divide, does the rise in subscriptions genuinely mean greater inclusion?

When:  10:00-11:00 a.m.

Where: Hall 4 – Auditorium A

4YFN Innovators Coffee Tables 

Sip on a latte and meet likeminded people discussing some of the most important topics in tech.

When: Every day from 10:30 a.m.

Where: The Discovery Area

Digital Transformation: Reinventing Your Customer Relationships

Come and witness digital transformation as it opens up the opportunity for companies to engage with their customers in new ways.

When: 11:00 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

Where: Hall 4 – Auditorium 3

Keynote 3: Immersive Content

The entertainment and content industry going through a tremendous period of change and disruption, as the means of distribution has dramatically shifted to mobile networks and devices, enabling disruptive new players and high-scale business models.

When:  2:30-3:00 p.m.

Where: Hall 4 – Auditorium 1

RCS Business Messaging: Intelligently Transforming Consumer Experiences Seminar

This seminar is all about the current state of play of RCS and the business messaging market; the results of live RCS campaigns; the commercial opportunities and market potential of this platform; the strategic vision for RCS, and much more. 

When: 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Where: CC1 Seminar Theatre, Fira Gran Via

The Business of Creating Amazing Consumer Experiences

Traditional marketing or immersive experiences that create memorable and emotional connections with a brand? Let’s find out!

When:  4:00-4:45 p.m.

Where: Hall 4 – Auditorium 2

Global Mobile Awards

The GLOMOs give awards for categories in Mobile Tech, Consumer, Social Good and more.

When: 5:10 p.m.

Where: Innovation City, Hall 4

4YFN Networking Drinks

Meet up with your new contacts and enjoy a refreshing drink together.

When: Every day from 6 p.m.

Where: The Damm Food Court

Transparent – Adtech Party MWC 2019

Free cocktails and canapés at a secret Barcelona bar. Come and join Tappx and Pixalate for a dazzling, mysterious cocktail party.

When: 8:00-10:00 p.m.

Where: Secret Bar

MWC Holland House Dinner Xperience

Be a guest at the MWC Barcelona Holland House Dutch dinner. On the menu: premium food, informal networking and discussions on digitization and the impact of 5G on mobility. Bon appétit.

When:  8:00-10:30 p.m.

Where: The Chipirón, Muelle de España 5

Tuesday, February 26th

How ‘Human’ Is Your Brand?

All you need to know about personalized messaging.

When: 1:05-1:40 p.m.

Where: Fira Montjuïc Hall 8 – Agora Stage

Customer Journey Analysis In The Fashion Industry

Join a lively conversation about cross-device multichannel tracking and influencer marketing measurables.

When: 5:00-5:45 p.m.

Where: Fira Montjuïc Hall 8 – Garden Stage

VC Night After Mobile World Congress

VC consists of an open mic and engaging networking sessions. Hosted by Startup Grind in partnership with Google for Startups.

Early-bird tickets are available for €6,30 and the price increases as the date approaches.

When: From 7:00 p.m.

Where: Antiga Fabrica Estrella Damm, C/Rosselló 515

Mobile Marketing Mixer 2019

Mobile Marketing Magazine and Masterclassing‘s Mobile Marketing Mixer offer a unique opportunity to connect with other Mobile World Congress participants and guests at the spectacular Cerveceria Moritz—a unique building, transformed from the old Moritz beer factory. Enjoy an open bar, light buffet and music.

You can get a general entry ticket for free and hope to beat the queues or buy a guaranteed entry ticket starting at €50.

When: From 8 p.m.

Where: Fàbrica Moritz Barcelona 39 – 41 Ronda de Sant Antoni

Wednesday, February 27th

AI In Advertising

Martin Chow, VP marketing at Google, said, ‘AI and machine learning could get us closer to of one of advertising’s most-sought goals: relevance at scale.’ Learn about reducing ad fraud and leveraging machine learning to optimize campaigns.

When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Hall 4 – Auditorium 5

Navigating Social Media: How Today’s Biggest Brands Are Building With Location

Bersabel Tadesse, a director of product at Mapbox, speaks about leveraging location in social media.

When: 3:45-4:00 p.m.

Where: Fira Montjuïc Hall 8 – Garden Stage

Future Networks: 5G Cloud XR Summit

The future is closer than you think. See for yourself at 5G Cloud XR Summit, which will cover augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and simulated reality (SR).

When: 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Where: CC1 Seminar Theatre, Fira Gran Via

Salesforce Reception at MWC19

Treat yourself to exquisite hors-d’oeuvres, refreshing drinks and lively entertainment, while mingling with executives, partners and industry peers in one of the networking gardens.

When: 4:00–6:00 p.m.

Where: Salesforce Garden

“Friction Free” Networking Reception

Clear invites you for an evening of Friction Free Everything: “friction free” cocktails and lively conversations about friction free contracts and payments between companies.

When: 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Where: Networking Hub – South Village

Flutter Special Meetup

Party with Google’s Flutter!

(To be confirmed) 

When: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: Wallapop office, Meridiana 89 – 6th floor

VR/AR Association Executive Dinner

Meet and dine with the executives from Intel, Nestlé, Pico-Interactive, Visyon, VRARA and more.

Ticket prices are 100€ for VRARA-members and 135€ for non-members.

When: 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Where: Hotel H10 Casa Mimosa, Carrer de Pau Claris 179

TechTribe Networking Event

Meet international talent from different fields, as well as local and foreign startups. Talks, fireside chats and live music in a beautiful beachfront space in the trendy Barceloneta neighborhood.

When: 7:00-11:30 p.m.

Where: Roto Barcelona 74 Passeig de Joan de Borbó

Swedish Beers – #14 Barcelona Edition, 2019

Casual networking event with a lot of beer. 

When: 7:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

Where: Bar Muy Buenas Carrer Carme, 63

Thursday, February 28th

Women4Tech Summit

The Women4Tech summit brings together thought leaders from across the mobile tech industry to share their valuable insights and game-changing outcomes.

When: 8:45 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.

Where: Hall 4, Auditorium A

Data Privacy: How Consumers Truly Feel

Join to find out:

  • How to recognize consumer views on data privacy through their digital behavior
  • The business challenges and opportunities associated with data privacy
  • How brands and businesses can leverage data privacy to build trust with their consumers

When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Hall 8 – NEXTech Theatre B

GoDaddy Announces New CMO; Apple Hires AR Marketing Chief

BY

This week’s executive shifts include GoDaddy hiring a new chief marketing officer, Famous Footwear appoints the former CMO of JCPenney, Asics America appoints a new EVP of sales, categories and marketing, American Greetings hiring the PGA Tour CMO, Apple hiring a new head of marketing for AR, Sony Interactive Entertainment promoting its head of global sales and marketing, NASCAR broadening the role of their CMO, SmileDirectClub appointing a new CMO, Shake Shack appointing Bark’s former CMO, Skyscanner hiring a former ClassPass exec and Terra’s Kitchen appointing a new senior vice president of marketing.

Check out our careers section for executive job openings and to post your own staffing needs.

GoDaddy Appoints Chief Marketer

GoDaddy announced Fara Howard as the company’s new chief marketing officer. According to the press release, Howard will lead “marketing strategy and execution, including brand and performance marketing, community engagement, and customer lifecycle management.”

Before taking the role at GoDaddy, Howard was chief marketing officer of Amazon Fashion, Amazon’s retail clothing vertical that famously implemented influencers on the platform. Howard was also vice president of global marketing at Vans and spent at 10 years working at Dell.

NFL’s Miami Dolphins Appoint VP Marketing

The Miami Dolphins named Laura Sandall as vice president of marketing amid a slew of other appointments. Sandall joined the Dolphins after spending the last two years at the Michaels Companies as vice president of marketing. She also spent four years in a senior role at JCPenney.

World Surf League Hires SVP

The World Surf League named Pat O’Connell the company’s new senior vice president of tours and head of competition. O’Connell is currently the vice president of sports marketing at Hurley.

“From competitor to surfer rep to board member to commissioner, he really has given his all for surfing to get it to where it is today and I couldn’t be more thankful,” said O’Connell on the appointment. “It’s super hard to leave my family at Hurley as it’s been such a huge part of my life for more than 15 years. I’ve had an incredible experience at Hurley, but I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to lead the competitive aspects of surfing and further elevate the sport. I believe in the WSL, I believe in what it can be, and I’m stoked.”

NASCAR Expands Role for Chief Marketing Officer

NASCAR’s executive vice president and CMO Jill Gregory will start to lead broadcasting, communications and NASCAR’s digital platform, including NASCAR.com, the NASCAR Mobile app and fantasy games. She is currently responsible for brand marketing, team and driver marketing, content strategy and analytics and insights.

Gregory joined NASCAR in 2007 and prior to that served as senior vice president at Bank of America.

Famous Footwear Hires Former JCPenney CMO

Caleres has appointed Marci Grebstein as senior vice president of marketing for Famous Footwear. She will oversee all aspects of marketing for their stores and famous.com. Previously, Grebstein served as chief marketing officer at J.C.Penney since 2017. Before that, she worked as the CMO for Lowe’s Companies.

“Marci is passionate about connecting emotionally with consumers and understands how to market to them in a realistic, authentic, and relatable way,” said Molly Adams, president of Famous Footwear, in a statement. “Her ability to get inside the DNA of a brand and bring it to life will be invaluable to our mission of making Famous Footwear the favorite place to shop for shoes and will help accelerate Famous Footwear’s growth.”

Sky Deutschland Appoints New CMO

Sky Deutschland, a German media company, has appointed Barbara Haase as the company’s chief marketing officer. She will oversee brand, marketing and communication and Sky Creative. She will also direct the strategy of the German pay-TV broadcaster’s marketing in all areas and the brand strategy of sub-brands. Prior to this, Haase served as chief creative officer and CMO of TUI Group.

Asics Hires New EVP of Sales, Categories And Marketing

Asics promoted Richard Sullivan as the company’s EVP of sales, categories and marketing for Asics America. Previously, Sullivan served as president of Asics Canada.

Former PGA Tour CMO Becomes Greeting Card CEO

American Greetings appointed Joe Arcuri as the company’s new chief executive officer. He’s expected to start the role on March 1. Arcuri is currently finishing his tenure at PGA Tour, where he has been the chief marketing officer since 2017.

Prior to the PGA Tour, Arcuri held executive and senior roles at P&G and Newell Rubbermaid. Arcuri’s appointment to CEO at American Greetings comes as current CEO John Breeder retires.

“We’re excited to have Joe join American Greetings. Joe is known for building strong teams that work together to create a winning culture,”American Greetings Board Chairman and former PepsiCo President John Compton said. “At the same time, we appreciate John Beeder’s contributions to American Greetings and wish him well in his retirement.”

Apple Hires A New Head Of Marketing For AR

Apple appointed Frank Casanova as the new senior director of worldwide product marketing at Apple augmented reality. Previously, Casanova served as the senior director for iPhone partner marketing. A longtime Apple exec, Casanova joined the company in 1997 as the senior director of macOs graphics, audio and video. According to Business Insider, he was instrumental in launching the original iPhone and developing QuickTime video player.

“There’s now a name and face on Apple AR efforts and a person with a track record of working on advanced technology projects at Apple,” said Michael Gartenberg, former Apple senior director of marketing to Business Insider. “Frank is the ideal person to lead Apple’s efforts in AR.”

Sony Interactive Entertainment Promotes Head of Global Sales And Marketing

Sony Corporation and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has promoted Jim Ryan as president and CEO of SIE. Ryan will also assume the role of representative director and president of SIE’s Japan-based legal entity, Previously, he served as SIE deputy president and prior to that he was head of global sales and marketing at SIE.

Ryan joined Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Europe-based entity in 1994 and has been responsible for leading the PlayStation business.

SmileDirectClub Appoints New CMO

SmileDirectClub, a DTC dentistry company, is promoting John Sheldon as the company’s chief marketing officer. Previously, he served as the company’s chief digital officer, where he assisted in reaching new customers and directing digital and mobile platforms.

Before joining the SmileDirectClub team, Sheldon worked as chief revenue officer of Fresh Direct, an online grocer.

Shake Shack Hires Former Bark CMO

Shake Shack hired Jay Livingston as the company’s new chief marketing officer. Prior to joining Shake Shake, Livingston served as CMO for DTC brand Bark—makers of Barkbox. The burger restaurant collaborated with Bark in December to offer a line of chew toys. According to AdWeek, Livingston plans on analyzing customer data and personalize Shake Shack’s digital elements.

Livingston told AdWeek both companies are “fun, authentic brands that are changing a status quo that’s existed a long time.”

Prior to Bark, Livingston spent 20 years at Bank of America, working his way up to SVP of global marketing.

Skyscanner Hires New Chief Marketing Officer

Skyscanner, a travel fare website, has appointed Joanna Lord as their new CMO. Previously, Lord worked as the chief marketing officer at ClassPass. Lord will help to expand the marketing department at Skyscanner, boost the brand and lead a marketing team of about 300 people.

Lord also served as chief marketing officer at BigDoor Inc., a white label software platform.

Skyscanner CEO Bryan Dove said: “I’ve known Joanna for years and have been consistently impressed with her impact on brands and her leadership in creating world-class teams. Joanna is joining us at an exciting time in our growth story after nearly doubling our growth function in the last few years. We’re excited to have an exceptional marketing leader joining our team to guide our next steps in helping travelers globally.”

Terra’s Kitchen Hires A SVP of Marketing 

Terra’s Kitchen, a meal-kit delivery service, has hired Anthony Pitts as their new senior vice president of marketing. Prior to that, Pitts served as the VP of performance marketing for the mattress company,  Leesa Sleep. In his new role at Terra’s Kitchen, Pitts will be responsible for driving their growth strategy and digital changes.

Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, February 15. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

Job Vacancies 

Chief Marketing Officer eBay London, UK
Chief Marketing Officer Moog Music Group Asheville, NC 
Vice President, Marketing Strategy  Saks Fifth Avenue New York, NY
VP, Brand Marketing Carl’s Jr. Franklin, TN
Head of Marketing Uber London, UK
VP Marketing Analytics DISNEY New York, NY

Make sure to check back for updates on our Careers page.

Twitter Considers Edit Button; TikTok Tests Video Ads

BY

This week in social media news, Twitter might add “Edit” button to the platform, TikTok was spotted testing native video ads, medical promotions are big among Insta-influencers, Twitter is developing Snapchat-like camera, a new report reveals Facebook engagement trends, Snapchat reports its moviegoing users’ habits, the Canadian government pays generously for federal advertising, Instagram is testing direct messaging on the web, LinkedIn launches a live video platform and Facebook acquires an AI shopping company

Twitter Might Actually Add Edit Button

Independent reported on Friday that according to Twitter’s co-founder, Jack Dorsey, the company is considering a new feature that would allow users to edit their old tweets.

Why it matters: Twitter split into two camps over the issue, those for and against. Twitter user Beau Sloane, made a strong point in his tweet, “Guys if we get an edit button on Twitter, it would defeat the entire purpose of the app. Think about how corrupt it would become! People could change conversations from the past and twist words!”

The details: “One of the concepts we’re thinking about is clarifications,” Dorsey said at Goldman Sachs event in San Francisco on Thursday. As per Dorsey, Twitter is considering a compromise that would allow users to add additional context to a tweet without changing its original content and the platform users wouldn’t be able to retweet the original tweet.

TikTok spotted testing native video ads

TikTok is testing a sponsored video ad, TechCrunch reported.

Why it matters: The button could be tailored to send users to the advertiser’s website or other web addresses.

The details: According to TechCrunch, TikTok was testing the feature in their U.S. app. A video labeled “Sponsored” from the bike retailer Specialized showed up in the main feed, accompanied by a blue “Learn More” button to get more information. Also, the profile page displayed a couple other new features, such as what appeared to be a verified account badge.

Big Pharma Using Instagram Influencers 

According to Vox, pharmaceutical companies are working more and more with influencers to promote new drugs and medical devices on social media.

Why it matters: Impressive user engagement that influencers have on Instagram gives companies an opportunity to deliver a more authentic message to the audiences through storytelling on social media stars’ feeds. Since influencer marketing is still mostly unregulated, it’s not surprising big pharma would get in on the action.

The details: As an example, Vox talks about Louise Roe, a picture-perfect influencer who tells her followers about her psoriasis condition on Instagram as a part of her paid partnership with Celgene, a biotechnology company that produces the psoriasis treatment medication Otezla.

Twitter Is Developing Snapchat-Style Camera

According to TechCrunch, Twitter’s developing a new Snapchat-style camera feature that will be accessible with a swipe from the home screen and allow the users to overlay captions on photos, videos, and live broadcasts before sharing them to their timeline.

Why it matters: Twitter’s new camera feature aims to make the process of creating and sharing content easier, and therefore, encourage the users to post more. Surely Twitter will find a way to monetize this in the future—offering a new option for advertisers on the platform.

The details: After a user captures media, overlays appear and offer to add a location and a caption. There will be six colored backgrounds available for the caption and location overlay card, which will make it possible for the users to unite words and imagery on Twitter for the first time.

New Report Reveals The Latest Facebook Engagement Trends

Social analytics platform Quintly has released a new report, with analysis of over 94,000 Facebook Pages and more than 105 million Facebook posts.

Why it matters: This report helps to better determine what’s working and what’s not, for brands on Facebook.

The details: The report revealed that 55 percent of the 105 million analyzed posts turned out to be linked posts. Photos were used in 29 percent of them and videos made up approximately 14 percent. 23 percent of all posts were posted during the weekend, and there was 13 percent higher interaction on weekend posts.

Snapchat Research Gives Insights Into Its Moviegoing Users’ Behavior

As a part of their Retail Footprints series, Snapchat released a new report, focused on the platform’s moviegoers habits.

Why it matters: This report helps to better understand when Snapchaters go to the movies, what they do before and after and other insights.

The details: Although generic, for the most part, the report had some peculiar Snapchaters’ behavior details. Thus, according to the report, “before a weekend trip to the movies, Snapchatters can be found in moments of rest and relaxation. You’re likely to find them outdoors at a park, shopping at a farmers market, making quick purchases at a convenience store, or prepping for a party at a party supply store. After the movie ends, they may continue their fun night out at a bowling alley or arcade, enjoy a nice meal at a fine dining restaurant, or indulge at a cafe or a sweet and dessert shop.”

The report also showed that moviegoing Snapchatters engage in more family oriented activities and are more likely to shop at department stores or shopping malls, than a regular Snapchat user.

Instagram Star Confesses She Turns Down 60 Percent of Instagram Ad Deals

Zara McDermott, a British Instagram personality with a million following, spoke frankly about the folly of being an influencer in her interview with GraziaDaily. The article speaks directly about navigating different branded post opportunities.

Why it matters: It’s a reminder that influencer marketing is still a fairly new form of marketing, with issues of safety and trust on both sides; it also continues to be mostly unregulated.

The details: McDermott shares her experience with a make-up company which offered her £3000 for a single Instagram story, but turned out to be a scam and encourages other influencers not to promote products on their social media or at least identify their ads with #Ad hashtag to identify advertising.

“You can’t just go posting ads all the time because not only will your followers lose trust in you, but if you’re not doing your due diligence and checking out the products, you put your entire personal brand at risk,” McDermott said.

Canadian Government Spends A Lot On Social Media Ads 

The Canadian government doesn’t tighten the purse strings when it comes to social media ads, especially platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, National Post reported on Monday.

Why it matters: The Canadian government takes into consideration its citizens’ impressive social media engagement and uses the platforms to communicate with them.

The details: The government spent $39.2 million on ads in 2018 in Canada, and nearly $18.2 million were invested in digital ads. This number made up roughly 46 percent of the total budget, not including production costs. Last year, social media ads also made up the biggest share of digital spending—43 percent or approximately $7.8 million.

Instagram Is Testing A Web Version Of Direct Messages

Jane Manchun Wong tipped TechCrunch on Tuesday that Instagram is internally testing a web version of direct messaging that would allow the users to communicate without the app.

Why it matters: Instagram has always been mobile first, but this has been requested by users for years.

The details: According to TechCrunch, in the current state, Instagram direct messaging on the web is available from a direct arrow icon in the top right of the computer screen. And it seems like the feature will use an Instagram.com/direct/…. URL structure.

LinkedIn Launches Live Platform

TechCrunch reported on Monday that LinkedIn is debuting a new video broadcast service this week. LinkedIn Live will allow users to stream real-time video to certain groups or to the large audiences on the platform.

Why it matters: According to LinkedIn, video is the fastest-growing format on the platform after articles and news.

The details: The content broadcasted will include the traditional LinkedIn fair such as “conferences, product announcements, Q&As and other events led by influencers and mentors, office hours from a big tech company, earnings calls, graduation and awards ceremonies and more,” TechCrunch reported.

Facebook Aims To Bring AI Shopping Experience To The Users 

Facebook reportedly acquired GrokStyle, an AI company, to boost its own developing computer vision department. “We are excited to welcome GrokStyle to Facebook. Their team and technology will contribute to our AI capabilities,” Facebook told TechCrunch on Saturday.

Why it matters: The company’s camera feature allows a user to take a picture of a furniture piece or other product with and instantly receive links to the online stores that sell them.

The details: GrokStyle issued a statement on their website, saying the company is “winding down” but their team and technology will live on. There is speculation that GrokStyle will reappear in some form in the future.

Facebook To Offer An API For Political Ad Transparency 

A group of European journalists, academics and human and digital rights organizations wrote an open letter to Facebook demanding more transparency about political ads distribution on the platform. European Parliament election will take place in May and the public is concerned about being manipulated by the politicians’ campaigns on social media. The letter was signed by 33 organizations, including Wikimedia UK.

Why it matters: Facebook allows politicians to pay for political ads to influence voters.

The details: “We believe that Facebook and other platforms can be positive forces that enable democracy, but this vision can only be realized through true transparency and trust. Transparency cannot just be on the terms with which the world’s largest, most powerful tech companies are most comfortable,” the letter said.

Here are some actions the letter outlines:

  • Roll out a functional, open Ad Archive API that enables advanced research and development of tools that analyze political ads served to Facebook users in the EU.
  • Ensure that all political advertisements are clearly distinguished from other content and are accompanied by key targeting criteria such as sponsor identity and amount spent on the platform in all EU countries.

Facebook Offers New Group Features For Admins, Including Brand Collaboration

As a part of the Facebook Community Summit, which aims to bring together Facebook group admins and help them exchange their knowledge, the company announced new features and tools to spark even more active participation.

Why it matters: The new features will expand admins’ capabilities and improve the user experience.

The details: The new features and tools will allow post formatting with bullet points and variable text size; brand collaborations option, which will allow associated groups to offer relevant deals and partner with professionals; improved communication with additional information on rule violations and expansion of mentorship and subscriptions, which will enable admins to create additional content for dedicated members.