What We’re Reading–January 27, 2020

We’ve searched for the most pressing marketing news so you don’t have to. Here’s what’s happening so far the week of January 27th.


Beauty Brands: You Should Be Scrambling To Get In The Live Music Game
Campaign US

New research from Live Nation finds that women spend “more time, money and energy on beauty [during] live music events.” There’s also other insightful statistics indicating an untapped overlap that should pique the interest of beauty brands.

Why it matters: Beauty brand marketers should look at the purchasing habits of concert-goers cited here, coupled with the supercharged social activity around showcasing festival-looks and pre-concert care routines for ample motivation to get their event strategy “festival ready.”


Google: Super Bowl Ads Lag Behind When It Comes To Gender Equality
Adweek

If they can see it, they can be it. The problem is, new findings from Google show that Super Bowl ads are more likely to feature men than women. Doubly concerning, when women are featured in these ads they’re more likely to be portrayed stereotypically.

Why it matters: “Google said its ongoing work with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media has helped it determine that marketing content on YouTube that features female leads and gender-balanced content drew 30 percent more views than male-dominant fare, despite representing less than one-half of the videos studied by the two parties.”


Amazon’s Ad Sales Surge 41 Percent To Record $4.8B
Marketing Dive

Amazon continues to threaten Google and Facebook’s ad business as the juggernaut hit a record $4.8 billion during its holiday quarter.

Why it matters: Underlying Amazon’s ad growth is the fact that the service “offers brands a unique opportunity to advertise to consumers as they’re ready to purchase on the site,” a prospect no doubt driving the ad sales leap of 41 percent.


How To Go Viral On TikTok, Via A Company With 1.2M Followers And 31M Likes
Forbes

Joe Caporoso, SVP of content and brand platforms at media and entertainment company Whistle shares what’s been working for them on TikTok.

Why it matters: Growth on the platform should encourage brands to enter the TikTok fray… but keep these tips from Whistle in mind.


Here’s What You Get When An AI Makes a Super Bowl Ad Bingo Card
Adweek

Spend some of your Friday afternoon in the uncanny valley of AI-generated Super Bowl ad bingo.

Why it matters: It’s either the pinnacle of neural networking or an excuse to guffaw over Super Bowl ad tropes, as determined by Adweek’s pitching bot.


What Next for Advertisers, Ad-Tech And Publishers In A Cookie-Free World?
Adweek

The cookie is crumbling. Here’s what’s next for the digital advertising industry as we face a cookie-free world.

Why it matters: This is a call to arms for advertisers, publishers and ad-tech companies: are you ready for big changes to the advertising ecosystem?


Advertisers Are Using Lifelike Avatars To Drum Up Brand Awareness
Digiday

Avatars are being used by brands seeking something a little extra, and personal, when communicating with fans.

Why it matters: “It’s a more authentic experience than a typical paid promotion on an Instagram post, and it just seems more organic,” says Taylor Siccard, co-founder of ecommerce holdings company Win Brands Group.


Advertising Trades Urge California Attorney General To Delay CCPA
Adweek

Advertising trade groups including 4A’s, American Advertising Federation, Association of National Advertisers, Interactive Advertising Bureau and Network Advertising Initiative have requested a delay in the enforcement of the CCPA.

Why it matters: With unprecedented requirements being added to drafted CCPA legislation, the industry does not feel it is ready to comply with upcoming privacy regulations.


4 Key Ways The Ad Experience Will Be Reinvented Next Decade
Ad Age

The times they are a-changin’. Ad Age looks to their crystal ball to identify four major ways we’ll see ad experiences reinvented in the 2020’s.

Why it matters: New technology, regulations and generational shifts mean new approaches to advertising. It’s time to take stock of these changes to understand how they will impact your work in the next decade.


Lil Nas X Stays Authentic In His Brand Partnerships
Adweek

Country crossover phenom Lil Nas X has partnered with brands like Panera, Wrangler and now for the Super Bowl, Doritos. Adweek interviewed Lil Nas X and Jennifer Frommer, SVP, creative content and brand partnerships at Columbia Records for insight into how they navigate partnerships and teach brands to talk to a new generation of consumers more authentically.

Why it matters: The secret sauce behind Lil Nas X’s authentic partnerships can be iterative for brands looking to enter into similar celebrity partnerships.


How 7 Brands Stood Out In A More Subdued Sundance 2020
Adweek

A look at Sundance Film Festival brand highlights from Audible, HBO, Pizza Hut and more.

Why it matters: While notably more “subdued” than previous Sundance Film Festivals, brands met attendees with pop-up experiences and more at the 36th annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.


83% Americans Expect To Have Control Over How Their Data Is Used At A Business, Reports DataGrail
MarTech Advisor

Just in time for National Data Privacy Day: DataGrail released new research findings indicating that Americans expect more control over their personal information online.

Why it matters: The findings align with our previous coverage of consumer expectations of data privacy; the overwhelming majority of Americans expect more control over how their personal data is used by businesses collecting it. They also harbor concerns over data monitoring and collection practices employed by businesses collecting their personal information.


Generation Z Is Upending Influencer Marketing
The Drum

A breakdown of Gen Z’s identifying characteristics and tactics for attracting them to brand conversations, specifically as it relates to Gen Z influencers.

Why it matters: Staying relevant means understanding generational motivations, habits and interests.


Digiday Research: Advertisers Are More Worried About The End Of Third-Party Cookies Than Publishers
Digiday

The latest findings from Digiday Research about advertiser and publisher outlook in the early days of the vanishing third-party cookie.

Why it matters: It’s time to give serious thought to how the end of the third-party cookie will limit ad targeting and measurement abilities.


Experience Marketing Is The New Kid On The Block
The Drum

Here’s something else we can blame on Millennials: experiential marketing.

Why it matters
: “We must focus on customer experience; products come and go, but there will always be a market for truly remarkable experiences,” notes the authors as one of the key takeaways.


Estée Lauder, Sephora Unveil Shoppable AR Makeup Try-Ons On Pinterest
Mobile Marketer

Pinterest’s new shoppable augmented reality (AR) feature is being used by a number of beauty brands including Estée Lauder, Sephora, bareMinerals, Neutrogena, NYX Professional Makeup, YSL Beauté, Lancôme and Urban Decay from L’Oréal.

Why it matters: Pinners will have a more immersive shopping experience on Pinterest, and as Mobile Marketer points out, “the beauty and personal care categories are especially popular among Pinterest users” and that “eighty-seven percent of those who view those categories visit Pinterest while considering products to purchase, but are undecided, per survey data from researcher GfK.” Brands are betting that AR will help consumers make a decision in their favor.


Here’s What Research Reveals About 12 Years Of Super Bowl Ads
Forbes: CMO Network

Kantar managing partner Satya Menon shares research on Super Bowl ad effectiveness and how marketers can deliver on game day.

Why it matters: There are many assumptions about what a big game day ad can do for your brand, but researchers urge marketing execs to do more homework to see if there’s data-driven support for strongly held Super Bowl ad performance beliefs.


One Size Does Not Fit All For Brands In Music
Marketing Dive

This guest post from Marketing Dive pairs objectives with tactics for those who are looking for actionable strategy around music marketing initiatives.

Why it matters: By better understanding how to customize the standard business objectives (brand affinity, launch and rewards), marketers will be better able to leverage the expected growth in music marketing budgets in the coming year.


Now That Facebook Lets Users Clear Internet Tracks, Marketers Lose Another Signal To Target Ads
Ad Age

Facebook’s ‘clear history’ button spells retargeting woes for marketers on the platform.

Why it matters: Losing another way to track potential customers’ footprints will restrict marketers from targeting those that take charge of their privacy on Facebook. However, as Aaron Goldman, CMO at 4C notes, “Consumers have a track record of apathy when it comes to actively managing their privacy.”


Loyalty Drivers Grow Complex As Consumers Get More Complicated, Report Says
Marketing Dive

Brand Keys released the results of its latest Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.

Why it matters: See which brands are getting it right when it comes to customer loyalty.


Agencies Have ‘Healthier’ Cultures Than Brand-Side Marketing Teams, Study Finds
Campaign

The latest results from the “Creative Industries Culture Index,” a diagnostic tool designed to “improve commercial performance by delving into an organization’s culture,” indicate a better working culture for agency marketers rather than those on the brand-side.

Why it matters: “The more the personal and desired values of respondents were reflected in what they see at work, the healthier the work culture.”


Just Because You’re Compliant With COPPA Doesn’t Mean You’re Cool Under CCPA Or GDPR
AdExchanger

“Just because you’re compliant with [the] Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), doesn’t mean you’re compliant with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), or the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).”

Why it matters: With so many recent privacy initiatives, it’s important to ensure you’re compliant with all variations. To not do so is to risk violating consumer rights.


How Global Advertisers Are Pushing For A New Approach To Brand Safety
Digiday

The world’s largest advertisers are pushing for broad initiatives in the industry to combat the issue of brand safety.

Why it matters: Brand safety is a massive undertaking with a profound impact. More than 80 percent of consumers have said that their purchasing decisions would be affected by product advertisements situated next to materials deemed not-brand safe.


Retailers See 42% Of Online Sales From Mobile Devices, Study Says
Mobile Marketer

Messaging software company Quiq released a study showing that “retailers are generating 42% of their online sales from mobile devices such as smartphones.”

Why it matters: From Mobile Marketer’s breakdown: “While almost two-thirds (62%) of retailers said they’re integrating mobile technology into e-commerce and operations, only 14% described themselves as a “mobile-first organization.”


Nike, BodyArmor & The NBA Lead Brands In Mourning The Death Of Kobe Bryant
The Drum

Brands are celebrating the life of the late Kobe Bryant after Sunday’s tragic accident.

Why it matters: Bryant’s ambassadorships, investments and endorsements created a multitude of relationships with brands, even post-retirement. Here’s how brands like Nike are navigating celebrating his legacy.


Editor’s Note: Our weekly reading list is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, January 31. Have a tip? We’re looking for must-read articles related to trends and insights in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

Hyundai CMO Angela Zepeda: ‘I Want People To Buy Us Because They Love Us’

Hyundai’s CMO, Angela Zepeda, is an industry veteran that radiates pure candidness and positivity as she discussed marketing challenges and rewards in an increasingly complex consumer landscape. 

AList chatted with her about how the Hyundai Super Bowl ad “Smaht Pahk” idea came to fruition, what it takes to build a successful brand and what path she took to become an expert in marketing, especially marketing to women.

What has changed about Super Bowl marketing over the years? Especially now, when the game is attracting a more diverse audience and more women?

I think, especially with the conversations I’ve been in with other industry professionals this season, everyone feels like Super Bowl advertising has gotten more thoughtful. It’s probably smarter, too. It’s no longer ok to do sophomoric humor or humor at someone’s expense. You have to think through it. When you do humor, which generally places a light on something or someone, you need to make sure that nobody’s feelings are hurt. 

This made all advertisers more sensitive to the current issues in our country and the intent is to bring people together on Super Bowl to not only enjoy a great football game but also, to see great advertising. I think the work, in general, has gotten a lot more sophisticated, thoughtful and in tune culturally and that’s a really good thing. 

Will we see more humor going forward as a way to talk about technical advances in the auto industry?

The reason why we went with humor again [in 2020] was that we had new product news that lined up well with the timing of Super Bowl. The technology on the Sonata, for the price and the class of the car that it is, is over the top. We wanted to surprise and delight viewers with this beautiful new car that is a mid-level size [sedan], that competes against the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, and had a lot of fun with it. 

The actual technical word or name for that “backing in-and-out parking” is “remote smart parking assist,” which was just a terrible mouthful, so we shortened it to “smart-park.” And then somebody on the creative team at the agency, who’s been born and raised in Boston, and had a little bit of the accent left, kept saying “smaht pahk.” We thought it was funny. It just brought it to life in a way that we thought was memorable, simple and was able to make the star of the commercial. And, of course, we cast very good celebrities that came together as an awesome ensemble cast that makes the spot really fun. 

So could we do more fun with the technology? I’d say, probably, yes. I think that’s what it is all about–it makes driving easy, fun and delightful and humor seems to be the right emotion to go along with that kind of new advancement in car manufacturing.

What’s your goal as a marketer with this campaign and how will you measure its success?

For today’s marketers, it is not just about doing great creativity to build the brand. That’s only one part of it. I really run a business to pull Hyundai forward and we do have very aggressive goals to grow. The company is very much on the move–we had an incredible 2019; it’s the best year we’ve had since 2016. We have a new executive vice-chairman, Euisun Chung, who is investing heavily in new technology. [He is] very bullish on smart-mobility and making Hyundai the best and safest cars. We have to be very smart in the way we approach our business, not only to grow, but to be profitable, so we continue to invest in new technologies, which we then give back to people in the product. 

What we want to do now [with our full product lineup] is to help build a brand that endears people to Hyundai. I don’t want to be the value-based brand, where people buy us because of price. I want people to buy us because they love us and, by the way, you can probably get our car without killing your wallet. We have the confidence to talk to people in a way that we want them to love us as a brand because our philosophy is: if you are not making cars better for people, then who are you making them better for? 

I don’t think there is anything we don’t look at around the customer journey, but brand opinion is [what] we are focused on the most. Brand opinion is built on the back of people feeling very secure about the product that they are buying and their trust in the brand, and that’s on us to deliver that message and to have people have that confidence. That’s one of the biggest things we are looking at in 2020 and of course, all the other metrics that now go with our very complex 360-degree marketing go-to market plan. 

Does the Super Bowl ad fit into part of a larger, national strategy?

It does. We needed to build on the idea of what Hyundai is and what the brand stands for. My background is in brand building, so I want to crack the code on this. I want every single piece of communication that we do to level up to the same end-feeling or depiction of what Hyundai is as a brand. Squarely focusing on a singular feature, [we are] putting the car as the star and then wrapping it in some kind of human truth or scenario that’s relatable to consumers, whether it makes them laugh, or brings [a few] tears. 

What was the first thing you changed when you became CMO of Hyundai in October last year?

The overall strategy has remained very much the same. We started getting the new product into the offering. That was the first step–to get the right product to the marketplace. Brand building takes time and a lot of money. We emphasized our digital marketing efforts, which we are still continuing with today. It’s very sophisticated, in-market demand generation digital marketing and an overlay of the branded effort that helps us touch consumers wherever they are. 

What are the biggest issues that keep CMOs up at night? 

There are a few. What I do as a CMO is seen by everybody. There are plenty of executives and other senior people at Hyundai who do work that never sees the light of day outside the walls. But the work I do with the agencies is very public-facing and faces a lot of opinions. That’s one of the biggest challenges–to make sure that I have consensus and alignment across the organization. 

I also can’t spend money willy-nilly. When I started at the business, they were still saying, “50 percent of my advertising doesn’t work, I just don’t know which 50 percent.” Now, I better know which 50 percent works or doesn’t work. We are very data-driven and I’m given some latitude to try new things, so we work strongly with a lot of partnerships to help us be as smart as we can and be able to prove that we are spending our money is the best way, delivering on all our metrics. 

Sometimes, I think marketing gets a lot of credit when it goes great. But I also think it can be blamed too much or too quickly when things aren’t going well. I think that’s the biggest challenge for me to keep the vision going and stand strongly behind it. So my stands as a CMO and what I see as the future for marketing and advertising in the Hyundai brand, starts and stops with me and that’s probably the biggest thing that keeps me up at night. 

How did you become an expert at marketing to women?

This came up years ago, around 2005-2006, when I first landed at Lowe Campbell Ewald. I went there to run the Kaiser Permanente account and I later ended up running the office. 

One of the people that I worked with there was an executive creative director, Debbie Karnowsky. She embarked on building a cast-forced team and did proprietary research that the agency funded, to understand what women were seeking from brands when it came to marketing. Some of the guidelines, for example, were: “Don’t swap everything in pink,” or “Don’t talk down to women, women are pretty darn smart.” We used the research in a way that hasn’t been done in the past and ended up winning a lot of new business, working with clients that wanted to speak specifically to women.

One of those clients was Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. Advertising is a very commodity-based business, it’s very competitive and we came up with a way that helped Ghirardelli to break through. Here is another point–women have a fantasy life, they use their dreams and fantasies as a way to build their worlds. We used a lot of that in the advertising–just bringing out what women have in their heads when they are sitting back and eating chocolate. It’s not literally showing a piece of chocolate and telling them how great it is. It’s more about: “How does it make you feel?” 

I continued to focus on how women perceive advertising. To be honest, in many ways, they want to be spoken to just like everyone else. But there are some nuances that make women special and unique and they like to be talked to in that way when the time is right.

Eventbrite CMO Leaves For Facebook Global Marketing Role

This week in marketing leadership moves, Dunkin’ Brands promotes international marketing executives, a new CMO arrives at Paris Baguette, Netflix plans to let go of 15 marketing staffers and Mondelēz loses its European CMO role.


Facebook Picks Eventbrite CMO As Global AR/VR Marketer

Adweek reports that Brian Irving will join Facebook’s global AR/VR marketing team. Irving will report to Rebecca Van Dyck, Facebook’s CMO for AR and VR projects.

Irving previously served as CMO at Eventbrite, where he joined as chief brand officer in 2018. He also held marketing positions at Airbnb, Google and Levi’s. His appointment becomes effective in March.


Dunkin’ Brands Boosts International Marketing Team

Dunkin’ Brands released a statement today announcing two executive promotions, including that of Tom Manchester who will be leading integrated marketing for Dunkin’ U.S. and the hiring of Rick Gestring as VP of operating systems and restaurant experience for the Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins parent company.

On the marketing side, Tom Manchester was promoted to SVP of integrated marketing for Dunkin’ U.S. operations. The press release announcing the appointment outlined Manchester’s new duties, noting, “In his new role, Mr. Manchester will have responsibility for culinary innovation, consumer insights, brand marketing and field marketing. He will continue to report directly to Tony Weisman, Chief Marketing Officer, Dunkin’ U.S. Over his 17-year career at Dunkin’, Mr. Manchester has led the brand’s sports marketing initiatives and developed its sports strategy built on engaging storytelling and innovative partnerships.”


Paris Baguette Names New CMO

Franchising reports that international bakery-cafe Paris Baguette has named Pete Bell as chief marketing officer.

Bell previously served as CMO at Twin Peaks Restaurants, Specialty Brands Holding Corp. and Smokey Bones Restaurants. Global CEO of Paris Baguette, Jack Moran, welcomed Bell to the marketing leadership fold. “He is a progressive and consumer data driven marketer who understands how to create effective and targeted campaigns that drive sales and awareness,” noted Moran.


Netflix To Lay Off 15 Marketing Staffers

Variety reports that Netflix is set to dismiss 15 members of its marketing team.

The report indicates that these shifts will affect a small percentage of the total marketing division and are part of marketing leadership changes that have been rippling throughout the streaming service since last year. 


Mondelēz Does Away With CMO Role In Europe

Marketing Week reports that Mondelēz, the multinational confectionery, food and beverage holding company, is cutting its chief marketing officer role in Europe as part of ongoing leadership restructures.

VP of marketing and strategy Peter Seymour will lead both marketing and corporate strategy moving forward. His responsibilities include building brands like Oreo, Milka, TUC and Belvita.

Debora Koyama, former CMO for Mondelēz in Europe, has left for Unilever as global growth operations officer.


Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, January 31. 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 

VP Of Marketing OperationsCalifia FarmsLos Angeles, CA
Head Of Media, Digital Marketing And CommunityCalibraMenlo Park, CA
SVP, Integrated MarketingZillow GroupPasadena, CA
Vice President, Marketing StrategyParamount PicturesLos Angeles, CA
Chief Marketing OfficerNPRWashington D.C., DC

Make sure to check out select job vacancies on our Careers page.

Doritos Hopes Fans Join Super Bowl Dance Challenge Via AI App

Doritos is giving fans a chance to create videos inspired by its Super Bowl campaign via the artificial intelligence-enabled app “Sway: Magic Dance.” The activation is an extension of Doritos’ Super Bowl ads, which feature singer Lil Nas X and actor Sam Elliott battling for the brand’s revamped Cool Ranch chips in a dance-off. Doritos’ teasers end with the hashtag #CoolRanchDance, a clear call-to-action encouraging users to join the challenge on social media. 

From the Sway app menu, users can choose from the four dances that Lil Nas X and Elliott perform in Doritos’ Super Bowl spots. Then they must film their dance for 30 seconds and upload it to Sway. Using AI, Sway then transposes the video over Lil Nas X and Elliott’s bodies.

Sway has recently gained popularity for its ability to generate deepfake-style videos for users who can also stylize the results with avatars, stickers and GIFs. 

Released on its social media channels, Doritos’ Super Bowl teasers show Elliott reciting lyrics to “Old Town Road” and Lil Nas X riding a stallion. The spots support Doritos’ new tagline “Another Level” and its new Cool Ranch chips which now contain more cool seasoning.

Like Doritos, MTN DEW launched a Super Bowl dance challenge on TikTok under the hashtag #AsGoodAsTheOG. The activation is part of the beverage brand’s omnichannel campaign around its new Zero Sugar product that launched in January. 

Hyundai also launched a TikTok campaign for the Super Bowl called the #OneDayAfterWatching challenge, which kicked off with a TikTok video featuring one of its Super Bowl ad star Rachel Dratch. The challenge calls on users to share videos of how watching a movie or television show changes their behavior.

Google Launches Experimental Short Form Video App Tangi

Today in social media news, Google’s Area 120 launches a social video sharing app for DIY-ers, Facebook reaches a new milestone of 2.5 billion monthly active users and Twitter takes steps to stop the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus.


Google’s Area 120 Launches Short Form Video App For DIY-ers Called Tangi

A product from Google’s in-house incubator Area 120, Tangi is an experimental social video sharing app for 60-second tutorials.

Why it matters: With a similar feel and layout as Pinterest—where 83 percent of users have made a purchase based on the content they saw from brands—Tangi could be a lucrative platform for marketers when and if the app supports ads.

The details: Tangi is an app for DIY lovers to learn and share their favorite how-tos via tutorials under 60 seconds. Unlike TikTok or YouTube, the app has a “Try It” feature that lets users upload pictures of their re-creation of the video they learned from. The app is ad-free, free to download and available everywhere except the EU.


Facebook Reaches New Milestone Of 2.5 Billion Monthly Active Users

In its Q4 2019 performance update, Facebook reported an increase of 34 million in daily active users (DAU), taking it to 1.66 billion DAU for the period.

Why it matters: Though steady, Facebook’s growth momentum will need to be complemented by increased revenue per user in regions outside the US in order to convert new users into worthwhile opportunities for marketers. 

The details: The update shows that Facebook added a million additional users in the North American market, its main revenue source. It also saw added 14 million DAU in the Asia-Pacific market. In addition to reaching 2.5 billion MAU, Facebook’s revenue for Q4 was $21 billion, up 25 percent year over year. Still, the platform’s costs and expenses also increased 51 percent year over year.


Twitter Launches Dedicated Search Prompt To Prevent Misinformation On Coronavirus

Twitter has seen over 15 million tweets on the topic of the coronavirus in the past four weeks and wants to ensure factual information about it is surfaced.

Why it matters: The global outbreak of coronavirus has led to the spread of inaccurate information across Facebook and YouTube too. Seven organizations that partner with Facebook issued fact checks that found false coronavirus claims, leading Facebook to lower those people’s ranks in users’ daily feeds.

The details: Twitter has launched a dedicated search prompt that provides anyone who uses it with “credible, authoritative information” about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s also stopping auto-suggest results that might lead to non-credible content about the virus on Twitter.


Pinterest Launches AR-Powered Beauty Try On For Mobile 

Pinners can now try on different lipstick shades via Pinterest’s new augmented reality (AR) feature “Try On,” powered by Lens.

Why it matters: Given that 90 percent of pinners use Pinterest to make purchase decisions, it’s in Pinterest’s best interest to enhance users’ shopping experience via AR. The platform says it’s working on even more AR categories.

The details: Those looking to try on lipstick, save a shade for later or buy through the retailer’s site can access the AR feature by opening the Pinterest camera in search. Upon clicking “Try On,” pinners will be able to browse different lipstick shades and swipe up to shop from brands like L’Oreal, Sephora, bareMinerals, NYX Professional Makeup, Urban Decay, YSL Beauté, Lancôme, Neutrogena and Estée Lauder. They can also use the “try on” button on select products and see how the lipstick looks on skin stones that match their own. The feature is available on the mobile app for iOS and Android in the US. 


Social Networking Platform For Moms Raises $2 Million

Founded by Katya Libin and Amri Kibbler, the platform lets moms post to forums, chat in groups and even find job candidates.

Why it matters: The platform’s success could mean more opportunities for brands to reach its community’s “ambitious women who are coming together to support each other.” 

The details: According to TechCrunch, HeyMama announced the close of $2 million in seed funding with investors among the likes of fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff and founder of OWYN Kathryn Moos. Once a social media account and online magazine that started in 2014, HeyMama’s goal as a platform is to help moms connect online and offline, as it holds events in 11 cities across the country. Brand partnerships fuel its revenue and 85 percent of its members are from word-of-mouth referrals. A HeyMama membership costs $35 a month or $349 a year.


Snapchat Inks Deal With NBC On Tokyo 2020 Olympics Shows

According to Variety, NBC will produce four exclusive Snapchat shows in a mobile-first, vertical format.

Why it matters: NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel said that NBC wants to offer advertisers a way to reach Snapchat’s large and young audience, demonstrating the network’s increased level of comfort with Snapchat as an evolution of the brand’s platform.

The details: This marks the third partnership between Snapchat and NBC Olympics, following deals for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics and PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. Among the four shows, two will, for the first time, showcase Olympic highlights to be updated in near real-time. NBC is gearing up to produce more than 70 episodes for Snapchat, triple the amount it produced for the 2018 Winter Games. Leading up to the games, Snapchat will also curate users’ coverage of the Tokyo Olympics for its “Our Story” feed. NBC has also called on Twitter to present Olympic content via an exclusive 20-minute live daily studio show from Tokyo.


Tinder, Pandora Top Revenue Charts For US Subscription Apps

New data from Sensor Tower show that U.S. subscription non-gaming app revenue saw a year-over-year growth of 21 percent from $3.8 billion to $4.6 billion.

Why it matters: While Tinder and Pandora led the revenue chart, Google’s cloud storage app Google One also earned 15 percent of revenue for the top 100 apps. Google One’s position indicates that subscription revenue may be diversifying beyond music streaming and dating apps.

The details: Subscriptions made up 19 percent of the total $24 billion that consumers spent on non-game apps from Apple’s app store and Google Play. Tinder led the revenue chart for subscription-based apps and accounted for 10 percent of the spending in the top 100, followed by Pandora, YouTube and HBO Now. Pandora generated 20 percent of subscription revenue for Google Play and YouTube’s subscription revenue for Apple’s app store exceeded $1 billion.


Vine Successor Byte Debuts On iOS And Android

The Byte app makes its debut two years after Vine’s co-founder Dom Hofmann announced he was working on a successor to Vine.

Why it matters: To compete against TikTok and others like Firework, Triller and Facebook’s Lasso, Byte will have to woo influencers who have tried transferring their audiences from platforms that lack monetization. The cards may be in Byte’s favor as Vine turned TikTok stars Joshdarnit, Lance Stewart and Chris Melberger are already on Byte.

The details: Hofmann’s goal is for Byte to focus on helping creators monetize their content. The app will launch a pilot of its first partner program to offer popular creators monetization options. It also plans to fund its own revenue sharing on the app.


Editor’s Note: Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, January 31. 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.

Brands Enlist Influencers For Super Bowl Campaigns Packed With Personality

Originally published on ION.

(Editor’s note: AList is published by a.network. To get up to speed on the rapid changes affecting the influencer marketing landscape, click here.)

Celebrities have long been the stars of Super Bowl ads. This year, however, many brands opted for influencers. Sabra included cast members from The Real Housewives of New Jerseyand from RuPaul’s Drag Race in its teasers. Comedian Lilly Singh played a part in Olay’s purpose-driven #MakeSpaceForWomen ad campaign. And Pop-Tarts promoted its new pretzel Pop-Tart with a game day teaser featuring the Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness. We explore how brands incorporated influencers into their Super Bowl activations and the pros and cons of doing so.

Hummus brand Sabra used an unexpected cast for its first Super Bowl ad, teasers for which include The Real Housewives of New Jersey foes Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo, T-Pain and RuPaul Drag Race contestants Miz Cracker and Kim Chi. Colorful characters may demonstrate the brand’s messaging—the versatility of hummus—but will Sabra’s choice of influencer resonate with its audience?

“In order to maximize ROI, brands should try to appeal to as broad an audience as possible during the Super Bowl. However, a downside of influencers is that they often appeal to a niche audience. As we’ve seen with some of the teasers so far, influencers and their quirks aren’t always common knowledge and therefore can be misunderstood among a general audience,” says Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix.

To cover all bases, Sabra also extended its Super Bowl activations to social media via over a dozen nano- and micro-influencers. Lifestyle blogger Erika James Carder and professional triathlete Rebecca Wassner, who both respectively have about 12,000 followers, posted Instagram photos of themselves holding or eating Sabra hummus, referring to it as the “MVD,” or most valuable dip. Also on Instagram, mom and travel blogger Danielle Greco, who has 19,000 followers, showed her and her son’s favorite way of snacking with Sabra. All three Sabra partners’ captions mention the brand’s “DIP. WATCH. WIN.” sweepstakes, which will award five $100,000 prizes and a “riDIPulous” amount of free hummus. To enter, fans who buy specially marked packages of Sabra’s hummus flavors can scan a quick response code to unlock game pieces, with the winning combination revealed during Sabra’s Super Bowl spot.  

“One advantage of working with an influencer is cost versus engagement. The authenticity and approachability of smaller influencers can really pay off. What they lack in reach compared to multi-million follower celebrities they more than make up for in engagement,” says Yuval Ben-Itzhak, CEO of Socialbakers.

Socialbakers data shows that influencer sponsored ads grew by more than 150 percent in the last year, while the use of #ad (sponsored social ads) more than doubled. Ben-Itzhak adds, “Since brands are seeing compelling results from working with influencers, it’s not surprising that we are seeing the same evolution with these all-important Super Bowl ads.”

Like most beauty brands, Procter & Gamble’s Olay has made influencers a regular part of its marketing. In 2018, the company launched its “Face Anything” campaign with a message of being true to yourself. Driving the message home was a 10-page Vogue spread featuring YouTube star and comedian Lilly Singh and eight others, as well as Instagram content created by influencers like plus-size model Hunter McGrady, who detailed her 28-day Olay skincare routine. 

This year, Olay invited Lilly Singh to be in its Super Bowl ad where she portrays an astronaut alongside Busy Philipps, Nicole Stott, Taraji P. Henson and Katie Couric. The appeal of including Singh in Olay’s Super Bowl ad is that she has 15 million YouTube subscribers and 9 million Instagram followers. Additionally, the influencer will host her own late night show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, premiering this fall on NBC. 

Kellogg’s too, has taken the influencer route for game day. A teaser of what’s to come in its Pop-Tarts Super Bowl spot shows Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness freaking out over the snack selection on set, complaining they’re all dry, boring options. On why Kellogg’s used Van Ness to promote its new pretzel-flavored snack, the brand’s senior director of marketing Phil Schaffer said in a press release, “When it comes to ‘bringing out your best,’ nobody does it better than Jonathan Van Ness–so it was only natural for Pop-Tarts to enlist him to help ‘fix’ the classic pretzel and introduce Pop-Tarts Pretzel. Already a loyal brand advocate, Jonathan’s upbeat personality is a natural fit to help Pop-Tarts unveil our latest craveable flavors.” 

When you think Pop-Tarts spokesperson, Van Ness may not immediately come to mind, but the grooming expert’s personality and role on Queer Eye align with the sweet-salty dichotomy that Pop-Tart’s new pretzel snack embodies.

Regardless of who you use for a campaign, it’s really about staying on message. “It’s not necessarily celebrity versus influencer that will impact ad performance. The key is how tightly the spokesperson fits into the storyline,” Daboll says.

Popeyes Responds To Tweets, Creates Merch Inspired By Beyoncé’s Streetwear Line

Popeyes launched a limited-edition fashion collection inspired by the latest iteration of Beyoncé’s Ivy Park athleisure line, which the singer released in early January. Created in collaboration with Adidas, Beyoncé’s items sold out quickly and now Popeyes wants to give fans who missed their chance something nearly identical: branded streetwear in the fried chicken brand’s signature shades of maroon and orange.

When Beyoncé launched her collection, many tweeted saying the collection’s maroon-orange color scheme reminded them of Popeyes uniforms. So Popeyes acted fast and gave fans what they didn’t know they needed: Popeyes merch. The resemblance between both collections is fitting as Popeyes gave Beyonce a lifetime supply of chicken through a “Popeyes For Life” card. 

The “That Look From Popeyes online shop is selling 10 different items including a uniform hooded jacket, tunic, khaki visor, short sleeve polo and crewneck T-shirt priced at $10-$40. Real Popeyes workers modeled the items for the digital lookbook and half the line has already sold out. Additionally, 100 percent of the proceeds are going to the Popeyes Foundation.

Popeyes swift reaction to its consumers’ tweets about Beyoncé’s athleisure line comes on the heels of the chicken sandwich wars. The social media showdown in summer 2019 between Chick-fil-A and Popeyes ended with Popeyes doubling its Twitter following. 

Ever since, Popeyes has been quick to make pop culture-informed marketing plans at the drop of a hat. In December last year, the quick service restaurant (QSR) duct-taped its chicken sandwich to a canvas for a last-minute installation at Art Basel Miami Beach, which was listed at $120,003.99.

For its holiday push last year, Popeyes partnered with UglyChristmasSweater.com to sell an embroidered sweater featuring its popular chicken sandwich. According to Business Insider, after the sweater launched the page received more than six million visits and sold out in 14 hours.

Media Evolution With Chief Media Officer At Lilly, Lina Shields

During the 192nd episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Lina Shields, the chief media officer for Lilly USA. Starting in sales and eventually moving into marketing, she was named one of Ad Age‘s “Women to Watch in 2019.”

Shields originally majored in political science with the intent to work in global policy so she could “change the world.” She shares her thoughts on the importance of mentoring and advice on how to improve your career and advocate for yourself. She also gives insight into the “next-generation” of the consumer landscape.

Although Shields works in the commercial space now with Lilly, her job is to “give information that can help [people] lead healthier and longer lives.” Shields quickly learned that doctors and she “had something in common, which was that we were both motivated by the best interest of the patient.” She adds, “great marketing is when you understand the core intention of your targeted audience.”

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”: 

  • Lina’s background in Italy and her journey to the US. (01:10) 
  • Two pivotal twists that brought Leena to her current role with Lilly. (02:47) 
  • Lina’s fascinating internship story: Internship, what is an internship? (06:58) 
  • The experience of a new full-time position in sales. (11:35) 
  • The importance of a breadth of the portfolio and key connections. (13:46) 
  • Defining the chief media officer role. (15:53)  
  • Three big buckets under the chief media officer role. (18:16) 
  • The “next-generation” consumer landscape and focus of media in marketing. (20:41) 
  • How Lilly is committed to its multi-cultural marketing vision. (25:18) 
  • Lina’s approach to mentoring early-career professionals. (31:52)   
  • Three pieces of advice for mentees and early-career professionals. (33:34) 
  • Experiences of Lina’s past that defines her today. (36:35)  
  • Advice Lina would give herself if she were starting over. (39:55)
  • Brands, companies or organizations to take notice of. (43:30)  
  • The future of marketing, according to Lina Shields. (46:36)

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.

$16 Million For Trees: Influencer Marketing At Its Best

Originally published at AW360 by Cait Christian.

Article Takeaways:

  • Example of a successful influencer campaign from top to bottom
  • How influencers can work with commercial partners on projects that have wider, social impact whilst creating mutual benefit.
  • How your brand can use influencer marketing as part of its strategy

In an age where brand purpose is attracting both Millennial and Gen Z audiences, understanding the true effectiveness of YouTube influencer marketing for authentic, meaningful marketing, is a necessary ingredient for brand success. By analyzing a recent campaign that raised the bar for social impact, the #TeamTrees campaign, we will unpack exactly how your brand can harness the power of influencer marketing at its very best.

The YouTubers

Let’s first get into how this campaign started. The Arbor Day Foundation and many of YouTube’s largest personalities–Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), Mark Rober, Destin Sandlin (aka SmarterEveryDay) and many others came together to start the campaign #TeamTrees with the goal of raising 20 million dollars to plant 20 million trees within two months. Born out of a Reddit meme, MrBeast, who is known for creative stunts like these, listened to his fans after asking how he should celebrate his 20 millionth YouTube subscriber. Across three coordinated videos, the #TeamTrees campaign was launched on October 25th.

As we unpack the campaign, it is important to note it’s not a celebrity endorsement piece. The audiences are very different to a traditional TV campaign.

The Effect

In addition to tens of millions of views, Mark Rober, SmarterEveryDay, and MrBeast’s videos received 600,000, 82,000 and 2.6M engagements (likes and comments) respectively. Supporters began popping up left, right and center including Toby Lütke, Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, Ninja, Verizon, YouTube itself and many others–all banded together to raise a combined total of $15 million. In less than a month.

As the campaign grows, these YouTubers continue to expand their own following. The more it spreads, the more talk there is, and the closer they get to their goal. Support is coming from everywhere, not just life-long fans. For any type of campaign (political, advocacy, media, brand) engagement is key. The power of influencers comes not just from views but from the energy they spread to their fans to speak up and advocate alongside them.

The Creative

Another key to the power of creators especially on YouTube, is their ability to tell stories. What were these videos exactly? And How was the creative designed?

Here’s the breakdown:

Hundreds of YouTubers posted on the same date, October 25th, to help generate buzz, but let’s focus on the three where the creative specifically coordinated with each other.

  1. Mr.Beast’s video “Planting 20,000,000 Trees, My Biggest Project Ever!” is a humorous, documentary-style video where MrBeast and his friends learn exactly how to plant trees alongside The Arbor Foundation. MrBeast introduces fellow YouTuber, Mark Rober and sets the stage for the campaign by energizing his followers about the scale of the campaign, what it means for the entire YouTube community, and how to get involved–teamtrees.org.
  2. Mark Rober, a former Nasa engineer and designer of Nasa’s Mars Rover, created a 13-minute video called “Using Drones to Plant 20,000,000 Trees.” He connects to MrBeast’s video seamlessly by showing the same tree-planting footage but in his own editing style, for his audience. As a science influencer he explains the science behind trees, and the process he underwent to design a drone that plants many trees at once. He seems to end the video after discussing the power his audience has to end the year on a high note and pushes them to go donate.
  3. Destin Sandlin’s video “How to Plant 20 Million Trees” begins with the community theme, describing how many YouTubers are involved in this campaign. As the true scientist-family-man he is, he then cuts to his Dad who talks about his family’s history with trees. He dives into the science behind the species of trees in a highly educational concept for the majority of the 13-minute video. At the end, Destin and his dad cook a meal for Destin’s mom, as Destin mentions that his donation is sponsored by HelloFresh, a meal-kit company.

Influencer Marketing

So, what are the key takeaways from this campaign and how can your brand use influencer marketing to get involved in something like this in the future? The Outloud Group, the influencer-marketing agency involved in some of the brand sponsorships associated with these videos, has laid out the following guide:

1. In all three videos, the audience was immediately engaged. Why? Because they specifically asked for the idea and for the collaborations that occurred. Creators have special relationships with their audiences, and when they execute on audience feedback, the bond grows stronger, and so does the audience’s future engagement with the creator’s content.

Brand advice: Follow trends, and find influencers that are specifically
involved or attached to them. Attach yourself to something that is growing,
and your reach will follow.

2. Each creator stayed true to their style and unique creative voice in three videos about the same thing. This appealed to their audiences who subscribe to see the content they enjoy and identify with. Even when sponsorship was involved.

Brand advice: Let the creators stay creative. Separate your brand voice and let YouTubers advocate for you in their own way. This only makes you seem more authentic and gets you the “good humans that care about the earth” advocacy that Rober gave Wix. Now Wix is tied to social impact, commitment, and Rober’s humor. The same thing could happen to your brand if you’re willing to let go of the creative reigns.

3. YouTube influencer marketing takes time. This campaign was designed over many months, and the brands involved had to be patient as the creators worked their magic to design long videos that involved large groups.

Brand/Agency advice: Give creators time, stay on top of the logistics, and be flexible with anything that requires detail. To pull off a campaign at this scale you need to be patient and understand that this will be a huge time commitment for your company in order to reap the benefits that will impact your brand for its lifetime.

We were excited to be working with creators that are using their platforms to influence the planet in a positive way. The results of this campaign will literally continue to grow for years to come.

Diverse Voices, New Creators Highlighted At Sundance Film Festival Programming

This year, the 35th annual Sundance Film Festival showcased 118 feature films from 27 countries and was accompanied by a number of activations celebrating multicultural storytelling, health and wellness and up-and-coming creators. See which brands became the talk of Park City, Utah, ahead.


Adobe Panels Highlight Next Generation Of Creators

As a longtime sponsor of Sundance, this year Adobe doubled down to highlight diverse voices and the up-and-coming next generation of creators via panels and discussions as well as a private screening of Some Kind of Heaven presented by Adobe and Sundance Ignite.


HBO, TNT And TBS Host Multicultural-Focused Panels

HBO, TNT and TBS held a pop-up called “Our Stories to Inform” across three days. The invite-only event reflects the brands’ dedication to multicultural storytelling and includes panels, exclusive dinners with casts and more interactive moments to highlight their ongoing initiatives engaging African American, Asian American, LGBTQ+ and Latinx audiences.

HBO also hosted an immersive pop-up experience at OP Rockwell in support of the six-part documentary series McMillion$, debuting on HBO on February 3. Through an interactive game, guests will experience the true story of the $24 million McDonald’s Monopoly scandal.


Kia Telluride Supper Suite Shuttles Celebrities

Taking over The Mustang restaurant once again, Kia Motors hosted a dining experience with Marbl Toronto, and with a fleet of its new Kia Telluride transported celebrities at the festival. The carmaker also hosted the annual Collider Portrait and Media Studio where interviews with filmmakers, actors and influencers were conducted and cast portraits were snapped. The Supper Suite’s official spirits sponsor is William Grant & Sons.


Wellhaus Hosts Multi-Location Pop-Ups

Wellhaus partnered with three local venues to create a host of health-focused experiential activities including spa treatment junkets, premiere parties and panel discussions on cannabis and other topics. Venues include the Wellhaus Spa Experience at the PuraVida Spa at Sky & Main Hotel, the Wellhaus Café experience at Main Street Deli featuring organic coffees and healthy snacks and the Wellhaus Lounge at Old Town Cellars.


Chase Sapphire Throws “Sound Check” Concert For Cardholders

Chase Sapphire tapped DJ Mark Ronson for its “Chase Sound Check” concert exclusive to cardholders, which was held at TAO Park City’s pop-up. The brand also served up panel discussions with the Los Angeles Times and cast parties for films including The Nest and Iron Bark in addition to a chef demo from Top Chef season 14 winner Brooke Williamson.


Barry’s Bootcamp Offers Free Workouts

Courtesy of Barry’s Bootcamp, festival-goers got to sweat it out at one of 60 workouts, some of which were led by the company’s founder Joey Gonzalez and top instructors from Los Angeles and New York. 


Acura Festival Village Displays Full Car Lineup

A presenting sponsor for the last 10 years, Acura returned with a week of activations and daily live performances. Highlights include discussions led by Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic on the Acura Stage and transportation for filmmakers provided by Acura MDX SUVs. Acura also hosted the premiere party for Glenn Close and Mila Kunis’ Four Good Days and for Sylvie’s Love starring Eva Longoria. The brand displayed a full vehicle lineup to spotlight its hybrid car, the NSX. Inside the Acura Festival Village, celebrity interviews with the festival’s top talent were hosted by Kevin Smith.