Twitch Debuts ‘Soundtrack By Twitch,’ A Rights-Cleared Music Tool

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This week in social media news, Twitch debuts a rights-cleared music tool for creators, Pinterest builds on its efforts to promote a less stereotypical Halloween, LinkedIn says its global program helped 10 million people gain new skills, Twitter removes 130 Iran-linked accounts, Facebook launches new functionality that enables Instagram and Messenger users to communicate across apps without having to download a new app and more.

Twitch Debuts Rights-Cleared Music Tool, Soundtrack By Twitch

Twitch is rolling out an early version of a new tool called Soundtrack by Twitch, which lets creators add licensed music within their streams, the company said in a blog announcement. The rights-cleared music catalog aims to address creator complaints about their archives being muted.

Why it matters: Up until now, the only music Twitch creators could legally play was music they owned or music that was licensed to them. Otherwise Twitch’s audio recognition system would flag the audio.

The details: Among Soundtrack by Twitch’s 32 label and distribution partners are SoundCloud, Insomniac, Westwood Recordings, Empire, Sound Stripe and United Masters, to name a few.

Twitch says its music staff, select streamers and industry partners curate Soundtrack playlists and stations.

The new music catalog is compatible with OBS Studio v26.0 or later on PC, Twitch Studio, and soon, Streamlabs OBS.

Pinterest Takes Steps To Inspire A ‘Less Stereotypical’ Halloween

Pinterest is looking to build on a policy it implemented in 2016 that bans advertising of culturally inappropriate costumes by limiting recommendations of such costumes and publishing a Halloween guide that provides inspiration on costumes that are culturally appropriate.

Why it matters: Pinterest’s efforts to inspire a less stereotypical Halloween is part of its larger plan to be “a platform for positivity.” Following its ban on ads featuring culturally insensitive costumes in 2016, Pinterest launched a health misinformation policy blocking anti-vaccination content in 2017; stopped running political ads in 2018; debuted a compassionate search for people seeking mental health support in 2019; and launched authoritative search results for COVID-19 this year.

The details: Building on its policy that lets users report culturally insensitive content directly from pins, Pinterest will provide expert-curated information on pins for certain searches like “Day of the Dead costumes.” It will limit recommendations for costumers that appropriate cultures. In addition, Pinterest is publishing the Pinterest Halloween guide, which will share tips on how to have a “thoughtful and respectful” Halloween.

LinkedIn Reports Its Program Helped 10 Million Learn New Skills In 2020

LinkedIn’s global initiative that launched in June to help unemployed users acquire new digital skills has reached over 10 million learners worldwide, LinkedIn chief executive officer Ryan Roslansky said in an update.

Why it matters: Since the pandemic, LinkedIn has ramped up its efforts to help those who got laid off find a new job. Using data from its LinkedIn Economic Graph, the company was able to analyze in-demand skills, emerging jobs and global hiring patterns. As a result, it identified the most in-demand 10 jobs today and made LinkedIn Learning Paths aligned with those jobs available to everyone for free.

The details: LinkedIn says interest in developing skills for software developer, customer service and data analysts roles have been in the highest demand. Other top learning paths included developing skills on resilience, confronting bias and recovering from a layoff.

Building on its ongoing work to help people find jobs, LinkedIn also launched a free five-week skills training program running in several states called gener8tor Upskilling, which helps unemployed and under-employed people acquire skills and credentials to get them back to work.

Twitter Removed 130 Iran-Linked Accounts That Tried Disrupting The Conversation During The Presidential Debate

Based on intel provided by the FBI, Twitter removed 130 accounts linked to Iran that attempted to disrupt the public conversation during the first presidential debate, the company tweeted from the @TwitterSafety account.

Why it matters: Twitter shared screenshots of the tweets from the now removed accounts. One post reads, “proud boys stand down!” Proud Boys are a far-right extremist group that President Trump briefly addressed at one point during the debate.

The details: The posts “had very low engagement and did not make an impact on the public conversation.” As standard, Twitter will publish the accounts and their content in full once it completes its investigation.

Facebook Announces Integration Of Messenger Into Instagram

Facebook is launching new functionality that will enable Instagram and Messenger users to communicate across apps. It’s also adding 10 features from Messenger to the Instagram inbox experience.

Why it matters: The updates are part of the company’s vision for a “privacy-focused” social networking experience, as Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg outlined in March last year. Zuckerberg says that private messaging, ephemeral stories and small groups “are by far the fastest-growing areas of online communication.”

The details: As per Facebook, the primary change is that Messenger users can reach Instagram users without needing to download a new app, and vice versa.

Messages and calls you receive using Instagram will remain in your Instagram app, plus you can control where you receive messages and calls—in your chats, in your message requests or not at all.

Facebook is also introducing Messenger-inspired features to the Instagram inbox, such as custom emoji reactions, selfie stickers, animated messaging effects and chat colors.

In addition, users can now use ‘Vanish Mode’ to make seen messages disappear when they close the chat; decide who can message them directly and who can’t message them at all; report full conversations in addition to single messages on Instagram; use the Watch Together feature to watch videos with friends on IGTV during a call; and share content with up to five friends or groups.

Lastly, as part of the new update, users can control whether message requests go to their Chats list, their Message Requests folder, or whether they receive them at all.

Facebook is rolling out the new features in a few countries and will expand globally soon.

Pinterest Launches Ads Adjacent To Visual Search Results

Timed to the holiday shopping season, Pinterest is adding more places for retailers in the US and UK, two of its top markets, to promote pins and showcase ads, including on Pinterest Lens, the shop tab in search and shopping on Pins—three of its most highly trafficked and visible places to shop, according to the company.

Why it matters: In 2019, searches related to holiday surged as early as June and July on Pinterest. This year, Pinterest says holiday searches on Pinterest in April 2020 increased 77 percent higher than April 2019, a trend that included a threefold increase in searches for “Christmas gift ideas.”

The details: In addition to being able to run ads adjacent to Pinterest’s visual search results, Pinterest Verified Merchants and Shopify retailers in the US can see new conversion insights, such as data on performance of paid and organic content on their site visits and checkouts, top converting Pins and activity funnel.

Pinterest is also expanding its personalized shopping feature, which launched in the US last year, to UK pinners. This will allow users to shop through Pinterest’s Lens camera visual search.

Federal Judge’s Preliminary Injunction Lets TikTok Dodge US Ban On New Downloads

On Sunday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against an executive order President Trump issued to ban TikTok from US app stores, The New York Times reports.

Why it matters: TikTok’s reprieve comes after the government’s month-plus-long efforts to ban the app over its ties to China and reportedly unsafe management of American users’ data. The preliminary injunction, however, doesn’t cover a broader set of restrictions set to take effect on November 12, the judge, Carl Nichols of United States District Court for the District of Columbia, said in his order.

The details: As per The Times: “Lawyers for the app told Judge Nichols in a hearing on Sunday morning that forcing online stores to remove the app weeks before an election — and at a time of increased isolation because of the pandemic — would impinge on the rights of potential new users to share their views.”

TikTok recently announced an agreement with Oracle and Walmart that would involve the two companies investing 20 percent in a new company, TikTok Global. As part of the deal, Oracle would transfer all American TikTok data to its Generation 2 Cloud data centers. But TikTok must first gain approval from Beijing officials, who in August added data-processing technologies, such as TikTok’s algorithm, to its list of restricted exports.

Snapchat Pitches High-Frequency “Platform Burst” Media Buy

Snapchat is pitching advertisers a media buy called “Platform Burst” that would ensure their campaigns reach at least 40 percent of their target audience 15 times over three or five days, Digiday reports.

Why it matters: A burst of ads over a short but concentrated period of time could help offset the fact that Snapchat ads are easily skippable and less likely to be viewed.

The details: Agency executives who are considering Snapchat’s high-reach ad campaigns say the platform has pitched early iterations of Platform Burst campaigns at around $127,000, according to Digiday.

Snapchat has tested the campaign format in the Middle East and across verticals such as tech, telco and entertainment.

TikTok Sponsors NASCAR Driver, TikTok Creator Ryan Vargas

As part of its Latinx Heritage Month programming, TikTok has announced it’s the official sponsor of 20-year-old NASCAR driver and TikTok creator, Ryan Vargas, who’s set to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Why it matters: The cancelation of live sports has presented social media platforms an opportunity to reach fans via interactive experiences. TikTok’s sponsorship of Vargas will include “several co-marketing opportunities” between TikTok and NASCAR, and is the short-form video app’s way of showing up to “support a young creator from an underrepresented community.”

The details: Vargas will race in a custom TikTok suit, Dia De Los Muertos helmet—a tribute to his Hispanic heritage—and a car fully wrapped in TikTok branding, according to the company blog post.

Red Bull Promotes Ken Turner To Chief Marketing Officer

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This week in leadership updates, Red Bull promotes Ken Turner to CMO, Hyundai Motor America appoints Kate Fabian to CMO, Facebook promotes Alex Schultz to CMO, Loop Industries hires Sheila Morin as CMO, Penske Media names Mike Monroe as CMO and Piano appoints Ashley Deibert CMO.

Red Bull Names Ken Turner As New Chief Marketing Officer

According to Business Insider, Red Bull has promoted its brand marketing head, Ken Turner, to North American executive vice president and CMO, making him the company’s highest-ranking black executive.

Turner’s appointment comes as the company recently laid off more than 50 people around the world following controversy over a racist deck slide that leaked. As a result, chief executive officer Stefan Kozak and CMO Amy Taylor were fired.

Hyundai Promotes Kate Fabian To Director Of Marketing Communications

Kate Fabian has accepted a promotion as director of marketing communications for Hyundai Motor America, per a press release.

Fabian was most recently the senior group manager of marketing at Genesis Motor America. Prior to Genesis, she served as the brand communications manager for Hyundai Motor Company.

Facebook Makes Alex Schultz Chief Marketing Officer

Facebook’s vice president of product growth and analytics, Alex Schultz, has accepted a promotion as the company’s CMO.

Schultz replaces Antonio Lucio, who exited recently after two years as CMO.  

In a Facebook post, Schultz, who’s also the executive sponsor of Facebook’s Pride@ resource group, says that he hopes to build on Lucio’s efforts to “tell meaningful, culturally relevant stories with our family of brands.”

Loop Industries Appoints Sheila Morin As Chief Marketing Officer

Sheila Morin has joined Loop Industries as the company’s CMO.

In her new role, Morin will oversee the sales and marketing team under the leadership of Loop’s founder and CEO Daniel Solomita.

Morin most recently served as CMO at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.

Penske Media Hires Mike Monroe As Chief Marketing Officer

Penske Media has named Mike Monroe as CMO, head of PMC Studios.

Before joining Penske Media, Monroe served as chief marketing officer for Sundance Institute. Prior to that, he was vice president of marketing for The Atlantic.

Piano Appoints Ashley Deibert Chief Marketing Officer

Piano has announced the appointment of Ashley Deibert to CMO.

Deibert joins from Taplytics, where she served as senior vice president of global marketing.

Microsoft Advertising Debuts A New ‘Marketing With Purpose’ Playbook

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During the Advertising Week panel, “Marketing with Purpose,” Kya Sainsbury-Carter, vice president, global partner service, Microsoft Advertising, announced the company’s new “Marketing with Purpose Playbook.” At a time when people’s expectations of brands are in a state of constant flux, the guide aims to help marketers reimagine the brand experience through purpose and people, proven catalysts for trust, loyalty and brand performance.

Companies that lead with purpose are more trusted and loved. In fact, 85 percent of consumers say they’ll only buy from a brand they trust, according to a study from Microsoft Advertising and LRW Research, “Uncovering the Trust Drivers 2019.”

The key drivers of trust are responsibility, values and inclusion, Sainsbury-Carter notes. Consumers expect brands to protect their personal information, be honest about how their data is being used, support ethical practices, take an explicit stand on social issues and proactively solve issues if products or services don’t work.

But above all, the important attribute of consumer trust and loyalty is being genuine and authentic. Seventy-two percent of respondents are more likely to support brands that are authentic in their advertising, according to Microsoft Advertising’s, “The Psychology of Inclusion and the Effects in Advertising 2020.”

Inclusion in advertising is a prerequisite for authenticity. Ensuring people feel seen, heard and understood enables brands to naturally weave purpose into their strategies. For example, 63 percent of consumers say brands representing inclusivity in ads are more authentic and 64 percent consider them more trustworthy.

In addition to boosting a brand’s authenticity, inclusion in advertising drives purchase intent and increases a consumer’s likelihood to recommend. As a case study, Microsoft Advertising asked consumers to rank a variety of Tommy Hilfiger ads based on level of inclusivity. Thereafter Microsoft mapped that to purchase intent. Upon closer look, what they found is that the ad featuring a model in a wheelchair and a black model beat the non-inclusive ads with a 28 percent lift.

For a brand to genuinely become more inclusive, Sainsbury-Carter notes that marketers must shift their focus from being product-centric to people-centric. This requires long-term strategies meant to build trust and inspire customer advocacy but also equitable experiences, not merely compliance.

One brand that has successfully strengthened its commitment to purpose in recent years is Crocs. In March, the brand launched “A Free Pair for Healthcare,” a program that gave healthcare workers a free pair of Crocs, plus free shipping, through its website. Since launching the initiative, Crocs has given away 860,000 pairs of its Crocs Classic Clogs, valued at over $40 million in retail. 

In Q2, Crocs’ global revenues were $331.5 million, declining 7.6 percent from Q2 2019. The brand’s global ecommerce revenues saw 67.7 percent growth.

“Inclusion is not just a marketing campaign at Crocs. It is in everything we do. It is how we treat each other as employees and how we come to life every single day with our consumers and fans around the world. We like to think of them as a global tapestry and we love to celebrate what makes them all unique,” says Heidi Cooley, head of global marketing at Crocs.

How The Pandemic Is Transforming The Brand-Agency Dynamic

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As brands try to keep up with changing consumer behavior, agencies are being met with demands for diversified services, forcing them to adopt a new business model. While there’s no one-size-fits-all playbook to address this new brand-agency dynamic, there are steps agencies and advertisers can take to align their goals and drive agency transformation.

During the panel, “Agency Transformation: Building for the Future, Now,” presented by Think with Google, at this week’s virtual Advertising Week, Matt Bush, Google managing director of agencies and partners, hears from Forrester principal analyst, Jay Pattisall, and UM Worldwide global chief client officer, Trish Chuipek, on the growth opportunities and barriers in driving agency change.

To help agencies understand how to best cater to clients’ evolving needs, Google commissioned Forrester to conduct research with 300 brand marketers and 500 agency executives across EMEA. The surveys were conducted in February before lockdowns and were conducted again in May with 30 percent of the original respondents.

As per Pattisall, the report found that brands need for their agencies to be strategic partners, the result of a growing disengagement in consumers’ online behavior, namely a ‘messy middle’ funnel where consumers skip ads online and jump across channels on the path to purchase. According to Forrester, 77 percent of brand decision makers are looking to agencies to provide customer-first strategies to address this new behavior.

“Consumers easily navigate between our retail commerce, mobile commerce and desktop commerce, and it’s incumbent upon brands to think about this in a connected way that optimizes performance,” says Chuipek.

Another byproduct of this new brand agency paradigm is a discrepancy in perceptions of value exchange—agencies are expected to do more with less. While 77 percent of agency leaders expect agencies to prove commercial outcomes, agencies are facing financial struggles with delivering on client needs because of marketing budget reductions. For example, 72 percent of brand leaders reported having to downsize.

Forrester’s data show that both brand and agency leaders expect a shift from a fixed-free structure like retainers and project models to outcome-based fees such as performance- and commission-based models. In fact, over the next three years, between 51 percent and 63 percent of brand leaders expect to move to either a performance-based model or a commission-based model for most of their agencies.

To build compensation models around outcomes, Chuipek says agencies and clients must discuss the key performance indicators (KPIs) to which they’ll collectively hold themselves accountable.

Despite tightened budgets, 63 percent of brand leaders are ready to invest in agencies that can engage disconnected consumers. Nearly half, or 43 percent, of brand decision makers say the top expected benefit of enlisting an agency is to increase company profits, followed by to increase a return on investment of digital marketing tactics (41 percent) and the ability to keep pace and adapt to shifts in consumer behavior (37 percent).

Other enhanced capabilities brands expect from agencies include creating seamless digital/mobile experiences with visual and display media, building meaningful customer relationships via loyalty programs, safely leveraging customer data to its full potential and utilizing martech to streamline processes. In fact, 68 percent of decision makers expect to increase budgets for emerging martech—like voice/conversational marketing, automation and artificial intelligence—and will need support for those operations.

“Rather than being hyper-focused on driving down the cost of media, we have to flip the script and focus on accelerating growth. We’re coming out of the race to the bottom. The opportunity in front of us is the race to the top,” says Pattisall.

What We’re Reading—Week Of September 28th

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Study: 26% Of Adults In The US Get News On YouTube

Adweek

About one-quarter of all US adults say they get news on YouTube, 59 percent of which say it’s an important way for them to consume news, shows a new study from Pew Research that surveyed 12,638 US adults from January 6 to 20.

Why it matters: 44 percent of the 377 most popular YouTube news channels that Pew analyzed were oriented around an individual, namely a journalist or independent host.

Meet The Rising Stars Of Brand Marketing

Business Insider

Business Insider has released its inaugural list recognizing the rising talent reshaping marketing for brands like Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, Uber, SkinnyPop and Walmart.

Why it matters: As The Hershey Company’s youngest VP, 36-year-old Kyle Banahan, SkinnyPop vice president of marketing, helped the brand’s ecommerce grow by 200 percent during the pandemic by promoting the popcorn as a healthy choice for remote workers.

LA Comic Con Is Moving Forward With An In-Person Event In December

NBC Los Angeles

LA Comic Con is set to hold its annual in-person event from December 11 to 13 at the LA Convention Center. The organizers say fans will receive a full refund or roll-over of their ticket if the event gets canceled.

Why it matters: To ensure guests maintain a six-foot distance, organizers have reduced headcount to 13,500, down from 42,000 in 2019. The event will still feature over 400 vendors, but to avoid bottlenecks, the aisles will be one way. Fans who attend are required to wear masks.

Reach Sees ‘Strong Recovery In Digital Advertising Growth’ After H1 Covid-19 Hit

The Drum

Between January and June, Daily Mirror owner Reach saw pre-tax profits plummet from £58.2m to £25.2m, while its revenues declined 18 percent to £290.8m.

Why it matters: Digital advertising helped the firm see a 12.9 percent increase, in addition to a 27.2 percent year-over-year increase in average monthly loyal users between March and August.

These 5 Leaders Are Transforming How America Works, Plays And Invests

Business Insider

Business Insider’s 100 People Transforming Business in North America includes activists, entrepreneurs and leaders shaping the future of investment.

Why it matters: After Hurricane Katrina, Rashad Robinson became president of Color of Change, an online civil rights advocacy organization that has over 1.7 million members today and spearheaded the Facebook boycott.