YouTube Revises YouTube Music Charts, Stops Counting Paid Ads

This week, YouTube announces it will no longer count paid ads in music-video viewing records; Facebook updates the values that inform Facebook Community Standards and is spotted testing a new “Chat” post type, study finds the majority of NFL fans watched the opening week games via streaming services and apps, and more.


YouTube Will Stop Counting  Paid Advertisements In One-Day Record Tallies 

The video-sharing company ends a controversial music-industry practice and announces it will no longer count views from paid advertisements in its one-day record tallies, Bloomberg reports

Why it matters: This means that starting now, music video creators will no longer have the ability to get their content to the top of YouTube’s charts using paid ads. 

The details: YouTube explained in a blog post that the company was adjusting its policy to “provide more transparency to the industry” and be more consistent. It is important to note that YouTube said it will not change past record holders.


Facebook Spotted Testing A New “Chat” Post Type

According to reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong, Facebook is testing a new Facebook post type to connect users to private messenger chats. 

Why it matters: The initiative might provide new ways for brands to start discussions with their loyal followers, or alternately, it could make it easier for more conversations to go private. 

The details: The feature seems to be similar to Instagram’s “Join ‘Chat'” sticker, which was introduced for Stories in July. 


Facebook Updates Its Community Standards Values

The company announced the expansion of the values that serve as the basis for Facebook Community Standards

Why it matters: The update provides clearer outline of what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook. 

The details: “Our commitment to giving people voice remains paramount. We also focus on authenticity, safety, privacy and dignity in writing and enforcing our Community Standards. We’ve updated the preamble to our Community Standards to reflect these values and included it below to help people understand the environment we want to foster on Facebook,” the company said in a blog post.   


Study: More Than Half Of NFL Fans Watched Opening Week Games Via Streaming Or Apps

A recent study from Collins Media agency discovered that for the opening week of the NFL season, 58 percent of surveyed fans watched at least one game using a paid streaming service or app. 

Why it matters: According to the researchers, while consumers are adopting alternative ways of watching NFL games live, advertisers are challenged with the difficult task of reaching an audience scattered across multiple screens and services.

The details: Per the study, consumption of live NFL games remains high, however, the way in which fans watch NFL games is “fragmenting, underscoring why brands should be incorporating over-the-top (OTT) programmatic advertising into the marketing mix.”

Some of the top findings include: 

  • NFL Sunday Ticket dominated the pack of content providers with 20 percent market penetration 
  • Amazon Prime and Hulu are both commanding 18 percent market share, Sling TV at 15 percent and NFL Game Pass at 13 percent
  • 23 percent of respondents reported using smaller streaming services or apps, such as the NBC Sports app, Chromecast or other channels available through virtual private networks. 

Instagram’s “Clips” Is Replicating Key TikTok’s Features 

Reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong discovered that the Instagram “Clips” prototype is cloning TikTok’s video editor.

Why it matters: TikTok is undoubtedly an up-and-comer in the world of social media, however, the company reportedly has a problem with user retention, as the majority of new users coming to TikTok leave within 30 days of downloading the app, then return to more established platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. These new features might help boost Instagram’s attractiveness to younger content creators and give marketers an opportunity to reach even wider audiences on the platform, which, at the moment, has over a billion users.

The details: Wong noticed that Instagram has been working on a new Story Camera mode, called “Clips,” beginning in early July. 

“Just like TikTok, ‘Clips’ allows users to record segments of videos into a single video Story. Just like TikTok, users can overlay music on clips. Just like TikTok, users can adjust the speed and timer of each video clips,” Wong said in a blog post


Facebook Rolls Out New Tools For Public Figures

The company published a blog post announcing several new features for public figures, including multi-contributor “Stories.” 

Why it matters: The change should make it easier for multiple contributors to add to a single post or story during an event, helping with coordination for those who oversee the accounts. 

The details: Here is what Facebook is up to with the new tools for public figures:

  • Testing the ability for multiple public figures to contribute to the same Facebook Story during an event, as well as a new feature in News Feed to help people discover public figures to follow.
  • Adding more tools to make it easier for public figures to engage directly with their communities, including a new Fan Reply sticker for Facebook Stories.
  • Building out ways for public figures to make money and grow their businesses on Facebook, including more ways to sell directly to fans and expanding Facebook Stars.
  • Protecting public figures from abuse on the Facebook family platforms with new ways to help ensure interactions between people and public figures are safe and authentic.

Twitter Launches Drag And Drop To Reorder Attached Images

The social media company tweeted today about the official launch of a new way to reorder images in a Tweet.

Why it matters: The new option makes it easier for creators to present their visual content in the most appealing way and gives them more control over the presentation to help boost content performance.

The details: The process is simple and convenient–when a user attaches two or more images to a tweet, it’s now possible to just drag and rearrange them, instead of uploading images in a certain order.


Instagram Is Testing Shopping Posts As Ads

Instagram announced in a blog post that the company will be testing the ability for shopping businesses to run their existing shopping posts on the platform as ads in Instagram Ads Manager. 

Why it matters: Per Instagram, the ads will enable businesses to reach their target audience, as well as scale and showcase products through the shopping format.

The details: At the moment, the test is only available to select businesses. When shoppers tap on the ads, they are taken to a product description page within the app and can then purchase from the business’ mobile site.

Alisa Harada, marketing manager at REVOLVE, one of the select brands that will be testing the new feature, said, “We’re incredibly excited to amplify our shopping presence on Instagram by running our organic shopping posts as ads. It’s important for us to test new methods and evolve our digital marketing strategy as we continue to learn about our consumers’ behavior and shopping habits through new products that Instagram is offering.” 


Telegram Fixes “Unsent” Photos And Videos Bug 

Telegram has reportedly removed a bug that allowed users to recover photos and videos “unsent” by other people.

Why it matters: Within Telegram, it is possible for users to “unsend sent messages from other people’s inboxes. For example, when a message is sent by mistake. 

However, TechCrunch reported that security researcher, Dhiraj Mishra, who found the issue, said even though Telegram was removing the messages from a user’s device, any sent photos or video were still stored on the user’s phone, which is a privacy violation. 

The details: Mishra also discovered that other messaging apps such as WhatsApp, had the same “unsend feature, but those apps deleted both message and content when tested. He said the Telegram for Android app would permanently store photos and videos in the device’s internal storage.

A spokesperson for Telegram confirmed to TechCrunch that the bug fix took effect on September 5th.


WhatsApp Might Soon Allow In-App Flight Purchases 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments might soon allow WhatsApp users to book flights within the app. 

Why it matters: The chatbot automation can be used in WhatsApp through airline apps, making it convenient and, therefore, encouraging for consumers to buy plane tickets. 

Per The Points Guy UK, the initiative may include information to book a flight, dates and number of passengers. 

The details: Certain providers, like KLM, Malaysia Airlines and Etihad have already introduced features in the app that were previously only available on a desktop or phone. And KLM has been using WhatsApp as a means of communication with its customers since 2017. 


Facebook To Be Investigated Again

New York’s Attorney General Letitia James announced she will lead a multi-state investigation against Facebook over possible antitrust violations.

Why it matters: The investigation will examine whether Facebook used its market dominance to illegally force competitors out of the market, and/or drive up ad prices.

The details: James tweeted: “BREAKING: I’m launching an investigation into Facebook to determine whether their actions endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, or increased the price of advertising.

The largest social media platform in the world must follow the law.”  


Snapchat Users Can Now Share Music Content On Spotify 

Snapchat announced that the company will allow its users to share their favorite music and podcasts with friends on the platform. 

Why it matters: Expanded social sharing options might help to bring millions more users to the app and provide more creative opportunities. 

The details: Staring today, Snapchat users can send a song, playlist, artist profile or podcast directly to their friends on Snapchat or share to Snapchat Story. 

Step-by-step instructions can be found here


Telegram Publishes Code For Its Blockchain 

Telegram finally published the code for running a blockchain, which is scheduled for launch in October. 

Why it matters: The information provided by Telegram allows developers and community members interested in the blockchain to get familiar with a full node, a validator node and the blockchain explorer.  

The details: According to Mitja Goroshevsky, CTO of TON Labs at Telegram, there are currently 100 nodes maintained by the social media company itself on the testnet. “Source code for a full node that can access testnet, create and validate blocks has been released. Lite client was released several months ago. TON Labs will release Public Beta of its developer tools suite on Monday,” Goroshevsky told CoinDesk.


Facebook And Instagram Downloads Are Declining

According to a Bank of America analysis, mobile app downloads of Facebook and Instagram are down a combined 13 percent YoY, CNBC reports

Why it matters: The BofA data signifies a shift in download trends for both apps, suggesting that the popularity of both is declining or remaining flat at best. 

The details: According to the report, the combined download numbers for Faecbook are decreasing three percent in Q3 2019, in comparison to last quarter. 

Instagram numbers are slightly steadier than Facebook’s–down nine percent YoY, compared to 15 percent in the third quarter. Per the report, Instagram numbers are still tracking down more than during the same time during the third quarter in 2018. Compared to last quarter, Instagram app downloads are tracking up four percent. 


Twitch Released An Apple TV App Public Beta

Twitch is coming to Apple TV. The live game streaming service company announced the release of an Apple TV app public beta test, which is available through TestFlight. 

Why it matters: The beta will give creators an opportunity to test the service before it goes live.

The details: To install a beta, the users need to follow five simple steps: 

  • Install TestFlight on an iOS device and Apple TV where you can sign in to the same App Store account.
  • Tap the public link on your iOS device.
  • Tap Accept for the app you want to test.
  • Open TestFlight on Apple TV. You must be signed in to the same App Store account you used on your iOS device.
  • Install the app you want to test.

Facebook Is Testing Two New Ad Features

According to Marketing Land, the social media giant is currently testing in-app checkout for Facebook ads, and a new ad unit for Instagram. 

Why it matters: Facebook’s goal with the new ad features is to develop a more efficient e-commerce process across all its apps, at the same time creating a more convenient online buying experiences for businesses and advertisers already on its platform, Marketing Land reports

The details: The two new ad features are a native in-app checkout for dynamic ads, which, if launched, will make it possible for users to discover a product via a dynamic ad and purchase the product from the ad within the app; and organic shopping posts on Instagram ads, which would allow advertisers to turn organic shopping posts into ads via the Facebook Ads Manager. 

“These new ads are based on the ways people currently like to discover and purchase products on Facebook and Instagram so the ad design and experience will be familiar,” a Facebook spokesperson told Marketing Land


Editor’s Note: Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, September 13th. Have a news tip? We’re looking for changes to and news surrounding social media platforms as they relate to marketing. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

Unexpected Brands Celebrate National Video Game Day With Tributes And Creativity

September 12 is National Video Game Day in the US, inspiring brands to celebrate with their audiences. Naturally, all the major players took advantage of the internet holiday to remind consumers of offerings and brand legacy. A few non-endemic brands joined in the fun too, using a mutual love of gaming to raise awareness or simply show solidarity with fans.

Arby’s: Choose Your Weapon

Arby’s has made a reputation on social media for its artistic prowess with cardboard food packaging. For Video Game Day, the restaurant covered an arcade gamepad with Arby’s branded cardboard and recreated weapons from various game franchises including Chun Li’s wrist spikes (Street Fighter), Lara Croft’s ice climbing axe (Tomb Raider), Sora’s Keyblade (Kingdom Hearts) and Ezio’s knife gauntlet (Assassin’s Creed).

Cartoon Network: Select Your Player

Cartoon Network created an 8-bit video game “screenshot” that allowed fans to imagine what a fighting game would be like using the brand’s characters. Audiences responded with their ideal “fighters” from shows like Steven Universe, Mao Mao, Teen Titans Go!, The Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time and more, although several pointed out the absence of OK K.O. Let’s be Heroes!, a cartoon based in a world heavily inspired by video games.

Red Bull: Fruit Ninja Parody

Okay, Krav Maga isn’t Ninjitsu, but technically, neither is slicing fruit with a katana. Red Bull, ever-present in the video game scene, posted a video of a man’s impressive Krav Maga skills superimposed with graphics from the popular game Fruit Ninja.

The brand immediately made fun of itself for capitalizing on the internet holiday, linking to the Reddit thread “fellow kids,” so named after a meme of Steve Bushimi attempting to pass himself off as a teenager.

Honda: 30 Years And Going

Honda wanted to remind gamers that its vehicles have been recreated in video games for over 30 years. The brand is also active in esports, sponsoring Team Liquid and becoming the exclusive automotive partner of the League of Legends Championship Series.

To celebrate its gaming legacy, Honda released a video highlighting vehicles going back to the 1996 Civic Ferio.

Faygo: Cap-Man

Soft drink company Faygo paid tribute to classic arcade games with a parody of Pac-Man called Cap-Man. The image recreated the iconic Pac-Man game board, replacing ghosts and power-ups with Faygo products.

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Cap-man. #videogameday

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Internet Holidays: A Marketing Playground

It’s not just you, everyday seems to be a hashtag holiday on social media. That’s because savvy social brands choose their participation wisely—sharing tributes, jokes and promotions that align with its core values and online persona.

Other recent examples include Werther’s life-sized Candyland game board for #CaramelDay and Heinz’s “fruit or vegetable” debate for National Tomato Day. Other brands have taken to creating their own internet holidays such as Netflix’s #StrangerThingsDay and Pabst Blue Ribbon’s National Mural Day.

Pandora Launches London Campaign To Change Affordability Perceptions

Jewelry retailer Pandora is driving awareness of its new brand vision and autumn collection with a 360-degree global campaign featuring television ads, out-of-home (OOH) and immersive activations in key London locations. OOH sites include ad landmark Piccadilly Lights and 36 large format digital screens such as the Wall at Westfield mall.

To kick off the campaign, Pandora painted an entire street pink in Los Angeles in August. 

The next stop on Pandora’s campaign tour was London, where earlier this month it brought to life a large circular structure in the shape of a diamond ring, the jeweler’s logo. While there, visitors sampled the new collection and had their photo taken on the Pandora logo swing. Those who posted their pictures on Instagram were entered into a contest to win a gift card. A branded candy floss cart handed out free treats to guests, adding to the experience. At Pandora’s Covent Garden concept store, consumers enjoyed complimentary manicures and brand biscuits. 

Additional activations include ads that will appear on more than 1,100 road and mall areas and five different creative executions of the campaign that run via digital video content in malls.

‘The Pandora Swing Activation is just one element of an exciting 360 global brand re-launch. Experiential marketing has always been at the centre of our strategy, creating mass awareness of our brand whilst giving back to our consumers. It’s initiatives such as these that have led to the recent announcement that Pandora is the most searched jewelry brand online in 2019,” said Jo Glynn-Smith, marketing director of Pandora UK & Ireland.

Pandora’s massive campaign push comes on the heels of customer perceptions that the brand is no longer affordable. “Customers tell us they used to think of Pandora as affordable but don’t anymore. The brand has drifted away from its original position and now we’re trying to move it back to what made Pandora,” chief executive alexander Lacik told Reuters in an interview.

In addition to the brand identity overhaul, Pandora has plans to revamp the design of its 2,700 shops worldwide. 

Sky Television Campaign Transforms Bus Shelters Into Virtual Sports Arenas

New Zealand-operated Sky Television Network is transforming bus shelters across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch into immersive mini sports arenas to give sports fans the experience of a front row stadium seat on the street.

Nine bus shelters will be designed with a complete panorama wrap and custom seat installations, tailored to each city. Each bus shelter site was hand-selected to ensure high foot traffic and daily traffic visual counts, with a projected 300,000 views across all locations.

Sky’s aim is to promote its sports streaming services in a way that will leave a lasting impression on riders. The television platform’s efforts are in part due to the 50 percent increase it received in streaming customers over the last year leading to 16 percent growth in streaming and commercial revenues in FY2019. Sky TV also recently launched the Sky Sport Now app and Sky Sport News service and introduced 12 high definition channels on Sky Sport. In August, over a million New Zealanders engaged with Sky services when the Bledisloe Cup match aired, including 55,000 on the platform’s streaming services. 

“Taking well-known aspects of our favorite sports and placing them in everyday moments is our way of showing Kiwis that Sky is an indispensable part of any sports lover’s life,” said chief marketing officer for Sky TV, Steve Bayliss. 

The campaign is running now through the end of September.
Sky TV’s large-scale out-of-home (OOH) initiative comes after an Australian ad spend study from oOh!media found that return on investment (ROI) more than doubles when television and OOH are part of the campaign media mix. The data show that campaigns with more than six percent of their media spend in OOH saw a 57 percent ROI while those who spent under only received a 41 percent ROI. To achieve optimum campaign results, a mix of digital and OOH are needed.

Illy Brings Coffee And Integrated Campaign Featuring Andrea Bocelli To San Francisco

Premium coffee roaster illy has brought its fully integrated international campaign, called “LIVEHAPPilly” to San Francisco, featuring the brand’s global ambassador, Andrea Bocelli. Inspired by the heritage of the Italian family-owned company, the campaign will be splashed on billboards across the city’s financial district, San Francisco International Airport and select Bay Area Rapid Transit stations this fall. Meanwhile, geotargeted mobile, digital and social media ads across Spotify, Hulu, Yelp, San Francisco Magazine, SF Gate and Eater SF will help the coffee brand with pinpointed marketing. 

As part of “LIVEHAPPilly,” illy is giving San Franciscans the chance to try its ready-to-drink coffee with sampling programs, available in illy’s seven cafes within the city. Additional initiatives to promote the campaign include a sponsorship of the forthcoming SECA exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and a partnership with AFAR Magazine to showcase winners of its 2019 Photo Awards.

A 60-second video spot to complement the campaign shows a day in the life of Bocelli, who goes from spending time with his family to a concert rehearsal and then finally taking the stage. The spot is an ode to the singer’s “never-ending story to perfect his voice,” similar to illy’s never-ending commitment to delivering the perfect blend of coffee. Supporting videos featuring Bocelli with other notable figures from art, gastronomy, music and design were also created.

Bocelli’s inclusion in illy’s campaign coincides with his upcoming performance on December 5 at the city’s new Chase Center.

Taking its campaign to San Francisco is part of illy’s larger plan to expand its network of branded cafes at home and abroad, specifically in the US. Currently, there are 219 illy-branded outlets outside Italy, 23 of which are in North America. The company has expressed interest in selling a minority stake for the first time in its 86-year history, according to Reuters.

Julie Nestor Leaves EBay For Marketing VP Position With Hilton Hotels

This week in the c-suite, eBay’s CMO Julie Nestor is leaving the position for a role with Hilton Hotels in Singapore, Lacoste hires a new EVP of marketing and branding, both Urban Plates and StockX name their first CMO, former Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen marketing chief Hope Diaz joins Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc. as chief marketing officer and Stephanie Fried leaves Condé Nast for a CMO role at Fandom.


EBay CMO Leaves Role For Position With Hilton Hotels

As reported by CMO, Julie Nestor will be vacating her position as eBay’s chief marketing officer to join Hilton Hotels as VP of marketing and ecommerce for the Asia-Pacific region.

Before Nestor’s 18 month tenure as CMO for eBay she was VP of consumer marketing at American Express. CMO reports that her duties will be shifted to eBay Australia’s COO, Amrita Blickstead.


Urban Plates Names First CMO

Urban Plates named their first chief marketing officer today, according to Restaurant Business.

Steve Greer will be joining the fast-casual restaurant from Xperience Restaurant Group, where he served as head of marketing. Greer has also held marketing positions at Outback Steakhouse and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.


Lacoste Names Marketing EVP

Lacoste has named a new EVP of marketing and branding, reports MDS.

Catherine Spindler joins the executive team from Vente Privee where she served as chief marketing officer. She will be filling the position due to the appointment of Sandrine Conseiller, Lacoste’s former EVP of marketing and branding, to Aigle, which is also owned by Maus Frères International.


StockX Names Deena Bahri CMO

Ecommerce company StockX has named Deena Bahri as their first chief marketing officer, reports WWD. She will be tasked with overseeing the online marketplace’s brand and consumer strategy.

Bahri most recently held the position of CMO at Helix. She has also previously served as CMO of Birchbox and held various marketing leadership roles at companies like Reebok and Gilt Groupe.


Fandom Names Former Condé Nast EVP As CMO

Stephanie Fried has joined Fandom as their new chief marketing officer. She previously held the position of EVP of marketing, research and analytics at Condé Nast and worked at Discovery and NBCUniversal prior to that.

Fried will be tasked with deepening connections between the community-driven entertainment site and its audience, as well as “enabling brands and content owners to reach and authentically engage with these audiences.”


Fiesta Names Ex-Popeyes Marketer As CMO

Hope Diaz has been named chief marketing officer at Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc., according to Nation’s Restaurant News. 

Diaz most recently served as global chief marketing officer at Popeyes and previously held the position of head of global innovation and guest understanding at Burger King.

The Texas-based Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc. is the parent company of Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana.


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

Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, Septenber 13th. 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 

Global CMOPopeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. Miami, FL
Vice President, Film MarketingNew York UniversityBrooklyn, NY
Chief Communications And Marketing OfficerUC San DiegoSan Diego, CA
Senior Vice President Of MarketingClear Channel OutdoorNew York, NY
SVP–Creative MarketingWalt Disney TelevisionBurbank, CA
Vice President, Marketing Int’l International Distribution And ProductionsSony Pictures Entertainment Inc.Culver City, CA

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

Shiseido Amps Up Travel Retail With Immersive Pop-Ups Across China Airports

Shiseido combined technology and beauty to launch a series of experiential pop-up stores in honor of its new campaign, “Red Ginza Street.” Set up across China Duty Free Group (CDFG) key travel retail locations, the pop-ups gave visitors a glimpse of the future of skincare via interactive games, a digital wall and skin consultations.

The campaign, which pays homage to Red Ginza Street, the luxury shopping district where Shiseido was first established in 1872, kicked off in June at China’s Shanghai Pudong Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. 

Its recent immersive activation took place at Haitang Bay, where customers were invited to participate in different checkpoints. The first checkpoint, “Eye See The World,” took customers on a journey from Sanya, China to Tokyo’s Ginza district via an augmented reality (AR) time-lapse video. Next, visitors were invited to share inspirational videos on the pop-up’s digital wall, as part of the second checkpoint, “Eye Set My Future.” At the third checkpoint, Shiseido beauty consultants treated visitors to a skin massage using products from the brand’s new Ultimune collection. With a minimum purchase, the fourth checkpoint, called “Eye Win! Exclusive,” provided guests a chance to win Shiseido branded travel essentials by playing a vending machine game about eye concerns.

The event was live-streamed on CDFG’s Weibo and Yizhibo channels, which marks CDFG’s first time offering a brand high definition live-streaming on its social media platforms. 

“The methods of engaging the influential Chinese consumer are always changing, so having a brand partner like Shiseido, who is always on the pulse of the latest consumer trends, is extremely valuable in this industry,” said CFDG director of perfume and cosmetics, Terry Chua.

Earlier this year, Shiseido Travel Retail opened its new global headquarters in Singapore. The new “strategic home” is part of the company’s plan to build on a new three-year plan for 2018-2020 after having resolved structural issues within the business. The beauty industry in APAC is estimated to reach a market size of $26 billion by 2021, and Shiseido aims to leverage that spend through digital acceleration and new technologies with brands under the Shiseido umbrella. 

Gen X And Baby Boomers Adopting Tech At Higher Rates

Technology adoption rates for older generations have been growing rapidly in recent years, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. Millennials still hold the top spot when it comes to embracing digital life but since 2012, Gen X and baby boomers have become heavy adopters.

Over 93 percent of millennials own smartphones with Gen X not too far behind at 90 percent, baby boomers at 68 percent (compared to 25 percent in 2011) and the silent generation at 40 percent. Pew Research Center cites a lack of confidence and physical challenges as major reasons why older Americans are still slow to use new technology and engage deeply with online content. 

The amount of millennials who say they use social media has remained unchanged since 2012 (86 percent) while the shares of Gen X, baby boomers and silents have increased by 10 percentage points.  

The findings show that Facebook use among millennials and Gen X are similar, 84 percent and 74 percent, respectively. Baby boomers and silents have increased their Facebook use by double digits since 2015, with silents growing from 22 percent to 37 percent in the past four years.

Across all generations, more than half of respondents said they use the internet—nearly 100 percent of millennials, 91 percent of Gen X, 85 percent of baby boomers and 62 percent of silents. Respondents who use the internet solely on their smartphones include 19 percent of millennials, 17 percent of Gen X, 15 percent of silents and 11 percent of baby boomers.

A majority of millennials, Gen X and baby boomers surveyed said they subscribe to broadband service at home compared to fewer than half of silents (45 percent) who said they do.

Tablet ownership is comparable across most generations, with 55 percent of Gen X, 53 percent of millennials and 52 percent of boomers. Only 33 percent of silents own tablets.

Attitudinal changes about the internet’s impact on society were also revealed.

Sixty-nine percent of Gen X believe the internet has been mostly a positive thing for society compared to 80 percent in 2014. This view of younger adults has remained more consistent with those ages 18-29 saying the internet has been mostly good for society compared to 79 percent who said so in 2014.

The survey is based on telephone interviews conducted from January 8-February 7, 2019 among a sample of 1,502 US adults, ages 18 or over. 

From Sex Toys To Global Health And Liberty With Phil Harvey

During this episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Phil Harvey, chairperson of DKT International, a nonprofit family planning and A.I.D.S. prevention organization. Harvey is also a major shareholder of PHE Incorporated, the holding company for Adam & Eve, an online and mail-order company that sells products for a better sex life. In addition, he’s the founder of the DKT Liberty Project and an ardent libertarian. Even at his current age of 81-years-old, he still has a few goals left on his list. 

We talk about his early years starting a business and a nonprofit organization simultaneously, and how the charitable actions that come out of PHE are mostly individually based. Find out how DKT supplied contraceptive products to 44 million couples in the developing world last year, and why that matters in a global market. 

He explains why he believes competition is the heart of the capitalist society. He also shared the backstory on his legal battles for liberty that ended up costing around $2 million and the attacks that he faced due to sex-related product sales. And probably most important and impactful to me, is the story from his time in India that illustrates why integrity is so important to Harvey. 

On why he believes companies shouldn’t force themselves to appear to be charitable, Harvey says, “I am generally opposed to trying to turn a commercial corporation into some kind of brand for saving the world. I don’t think it is appropriate. It is a distraction and doesn’t work very well.”

Meanwhile, on the simplicity and scalability of social marketing, not to be confused with social media like Facebook and Twitter, Harvey explains “social marketing in this context means the use of commercial marketing techniques to achieve social ends.” Find out why Phil Harvey believes that advertising is blamed for various societal ills. However, he notes, “I don’t agree that marketing, particularly when you use that term, is a troublesome term in the nonprofit world.”

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • How is Phil different from the man he was in 1961? (02:30)
  • How has Phil used commerce to do good in the world? (05:56)
  • Why did he create a business and a nonprofit business at the same time? (13:01)
  • Phil explains the social marketing of DKT (26:14)
  • Did Phil face marketing resistance in the nonprofit space? (40:28)
  • What does Phil think about the state of business today? (52:05)
  • Phil discusses how many of his legal battles that have made it all the way to the supreme court. (55:00)
  • Where does this fighting spirit come from? (1:01:43)
  • Is he thinking about retirement anytime soon? (1:09:55)
  • Is there an experience in Phil Harvey’s life that defined who he is today? (1:11:39)
  • What fuels Phil to keep going in his career and life? (1:15:42)
  • Are there brands or causes that he thinks we should pay attention to? (1:17:21)
  • Where does Phil Harvey see the future of marketing going? (1:23:28)

Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

Marketer’s Guide To Esports Competitions (Part 2)

Originally published at AW360 by Angel Mendoza.

The world of esports competitions is host to a variety of games for different types of players. Some of these games, like League of Legends Dota 2, are immensely popular, and their competitions have documentaries made about them for TBS or Netflix. For people even vaguely aware of esports competitions, these games immediately come to mind.

But like kingdoms, game franchises rise and fall. Most games decline in popularity or take time to grow, building infrastructure and supporting an ever-expanding community of players.

Part one examined some of the kings of the esports industry. This article, on the other hand, will look at some other games which, while popular, are still finding their places as competitive esports.

What To Consider Before Partnering

In part one, we looked at five key factors in making sponsorship decisions, which were simplified to infrastructureformatsaudienceaccessibility, and brand fit. For a more in-depth look into these, see part one in this article series.

To summarize the points in that article, before a brand decides to sponsor a game competition, the brand should consider:

  1. Infrastructure: How well-supported and established the competition and game franchise are. Can the organizers provide in-depth, reliable, and accurate data on the performance of and audience for their competitions? Can they support large audiences?
  2. Formats: What advertising opportunities do brands have? How can brands best advertise to audiences without disrupting viewing experiences?
  3. Audience: Who’s watching events? What is a brand’s target audience? Finding common ground between these two audiences while targeting the right streaming platforms is key. Alternatively, brands can consider live audiences, if applicable.
  4. Accessibility: Can events appeal to casual viewers or people who know next to nothing about the games?
  5. Brand Fit: Does the sponsorship align with a brand’s positioning? Can a brand offer a product to esports viewers that will resonate with them?

With that overview out of the way, here are some esports competitions that are developing and becoming more mainstream.

Growing Leagues And Tournaments

Fortnite

Fortnite: Battle Royale might have made waves with its 2017 debut, rapidly becoming a phenomenon, but its position in competitive esports is still fairly new.

Epic earlier announced that it would be directing $100 million toward competitive esports, and so far, this money has been put into a variety of competitions, with 2019’s World Cup distributing a total $30 million prize pool, the Summer Skirmish Series awarding a total $8 million prize pool, and the Fall Skirmish Series awarding a $10 million total prize pool.

These can all be considered initial efforts in developing a larger league infrastructure, something which Epic seems to still be fleshing out. Epic only this March added the Arena mode, which allows players to compete against each other for placement in official events.

However, Epic and Fortnite have made big strides forward in their advancement of esports. The former commissioner of the Overwatch League, Nate Nanzer, recently left his position to oversee Fortnite esports. Fortnite’s new Champions Series looks like another stride forward, though details on that have yet to emerge.

Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS)

The esports infrastructure for Rocket League, another massively popular game from the past five years, is also still developing.

The Rocket League Championship Series began in 2016 as a collaboration between Psyonix and Twitch. At first, Twitch gained exclusive broadcasting rights of Rocket League competitive events while aiding in the growth of Rocket League’s competitive infrastructure and community.

This collaboration has since dissolved, however, with Psyonix moving its esports management in-house. Although Twitch still managed sponsorships and ad sales for Rocket League at first, Psyonix made a deal with Turner Sports’s ELEAGUE early this year, with ELEAGUE now handling both advertising and sponsorships, among other things.

Following that, Epic Games acquired Rocket League and Psyonix. Epic has been pretty quiet following the acquisition, with Rocket League’s season 7 championship series taking place in late June, but more developments are sure to come.

Rainbow Six Pro League

Rainbow Six: Siege is an unusual story in the esports industry, and the existence of a Rainbow Six Pro League at all is perhaps a testament to Ubisoft’s tenacity, given the cancellation of the previous installment. Rainbow Six: Siege is another addition in the more-than-a-dozen game franchise, Rainbow Six, which began with Tom Clancy’s novel in 1998. What’s even more unusual is that Siege was envisioned as the reboot to the franchise, yet even following awards and praise quickly lost steam.

Only when Siege responded to its strongest criticism–an overall lack of content in its initial release–did it pick itself up and gain a strong following. Almost three years after its release, Rainbow Six: Siege continues to add content for players, keeping itself fresh and relevant.

Rainbow Six’s Pro League began in 2017, hosted by ESL in association with Ubisoft. The league includes four region divisions, representing Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Initially divided into four seasons per year, the Pro League shifted to two seasons of six months each starting in 2018. Following those two seasons, players compete in the Six Invitational, Rainbow Six’s most prestigious tournament.

In 2018, Ubisoft announced the Rainbow Six Pilot Program, a partnership program which would give select teams a cut of the revenue from sales of in-game cosmetics. The goal is to make competition more sustainable for players.

Evolution Championship Series (Evo)

The Evolution Championship Series stands out from other tournaments in many ways. For one, Evo isn’t dedicated to one game franchise, instead, including a variety of competitive fighting games. Evo also predates the major esports boom of the last decade, first appearing in 1996, well before Twitch or YouTube came on the scene. Finally, Evo is not an event players qualify for–it’s completely open to the public, taking place annually in the Las Vegas and drawing in players from around the world. Evo is considered the largest and most prestigious fighting game tournament in the world.

Each player pays a $10 entry fee, with players competing in an array of different fighting game tournaments. The entry fees then together form the prize pool, with first place receiving half of the total money, and seven more players receiving a proportionate amount based on their placement.

Evo 2019 featured Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Street Fighter V Arcade Edition, Tekken 7, Mortal Kombat 11, Soulcalibur VI, Dragon Ball FighterZ, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, Samurai Shodown and Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[st]It drew in more than 9000 entrants, over 3500 of which entered to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This made Evo 2019 the largest Super Smash Bros. competitive event of all time.

Although data has not been released for Evo 2019, Evo 2018 generated 5.2 million hours of Twitch and YouTube viewership, an increase of more than 24 percent from its previous year.

Looking Ahead

Esports competitions represent an array of unique and diverse opportunities for brands. While many of these competitions are still building and establishing themselves, even different types of competitions like Evo, which aren’t exclusive and don’t offer the same opportunities as some of the major competitions covered in the last article, can still be boons to brands.

For one, a growing competition might offer a trust or intimacy that a larger competitive event might not, allowing brands a closer connection to audiences. Some competitive events, like Evo, also offer a rare niche in the esports industry, striking a chord with casual audiences and retro fans, even if they don’t offer the same kinds of immediate returns.

Most of these events show positive trends for the esports industry however, as more competitive events and game franchises seek to encourage competitive play by offering larger prize pools, as well as through other incentives such as Rainbow Six’s Pilot Program. By turning even microtransactions into net positives, giving the money back to competitive players and communities, companies have shown a degree of ingenuity, even turning that element into something which might not cause controversy at the same scale.

Ultimately though, as before, brands should consider what benefits their brand strategies and image while helping their bottom line. Gamers are savvy audiences, and while marketing to them can often be challenging, they know how to follow brands in ways that other demographics might not, engaging online and through social media. What matters is having an actionable product that translates to esports audiences.

With part one covering some of the most prolific competitions in the esports space, and part two covering competitions still establishing themselves or taking a different approach, part three will examine some of the newest competitions in the esports industry.

(This article originally appeared on Simplepixel)