Ad Council, Square Enix Fight Bullying With ‘Kingdom Hearts’ PSA

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The Ad Council and Square Enix have released a new campaign that uses Kingdom Hearts to promote kindness and inclusion in the video game community. This partnership marks the first time that The Ad Council has worked with a game publisher.

Characters from Square Enix and Disney/Pixar’s video game Kingdom Hearts III star in a new spot for The Ad Council’s “Because of You” anti-bullying campaign. The campaign includes 30-second TV and digital videos, out-of-home (OOH) billboards and bus shelter placements around the US.

“Our hearts are made stronger by how we treat others,” says a video called “Light.” “The light you share can impact those around you, but so can the darkness.”

The campaign is aimed at US teens. The Ad Council says that according to research, two-thirds of teens say they’ve experienced bullying, but most of them don’t think they contribute to the problem. “Light,” as well as the entire “Because of You” initiative, encourages teens to look at their own behavior as well as others to make sure they’re not contributing to the problem.

The Center for Disease Control warns that students who are both targets of bullying and engage in bullying behavior are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems, compared to students who only bullied or are only bullied.

The Kingdom Hearts franchise is a mash-up of Disney, Pixar and Square Enix characters, who team up on an action RPG adventure. The series places a strong emphasis on friendship, making it a natural fit for The Ad Council’s initiative.

“The Kingdom Hearts story is filled with characters overcoming trials and tribulations through friends helping and supporting each other in tough times,” said Brendan Docherty, senior manager of product marketing at Square Enix in a statement. “We thought these themes matched very well with the valuable life lesson of the Because of You campaign.”

Kingdom Hearts III launched on January 29 and according to Square Enix, has shipped over five million copies. The newest installment includes a variety of worlds ad stages based on franchises such as Tangled, Rapunzel, Hercules, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story and Big Hero 6.

“Kingdom Hearts III is one of the year’s biggest game releases, and we’re excited to see the game’s message of support and friendship reach millions of teens,” Anastasia Goodstein, SVP of digital product management at the Ad Council said. It’s a great fit with our campaign’s idea that everyone should reflect on the power of their actions.”

Women’s Day: Brands Take To Social To Show Support

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Brands celebrated International Women’s Day 2019 with tributes, videos and events designed to inspire and empower. Here are some of our favorites.

The woman’s role in society is very different now than it was even just a few decades ago. For Women’s Day, Budweiser revamped some of its print ads from the 1950s and 1960s to reflect modern values. The activation was created in partnership with #SeeHer, a non-profit organization devoted to the equal representation of men and women in media and advertising.

Each of the ads has been reimagined by female illustrators to more accurately reflect modern sensibilities. One ad, for example, showed a woman pouring her husband a beer while he was hard at work. The new ad shows the same couple taking a break from working on the project together. Another ad originally put a bride front and focuses on the role of homemaker. The new version shows the same woman, but she is surrounded by friends.

Budweiser’s campaign will appear online and in print ads featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune

Uber released a three-part video series in the UK that celebrates pioneering women from London. Over the years, British Heritage has honored notable pioneers with a blue plaque. Uber is calling attention to the fact that only 14 percent of them are for women and asking its passengers to nominate more women to British Heritage. Three women—GRL PWR Gang founders Kirsti Hadley and Naysap, as well as director and dancer Kelechi Okafor take viewers through London to point out inspiring women that either received a plaque or should have.

An app takeover March 8 alerts riders when they pass one of these blue plaques or “celebratory” destinations that Uber designates on the map, such as where a pioneering woman lived or worked.

Visa introduced its Visa Everywhere Initiative in 2015 and introduced its first Women’s Global Edition on Friday. The global program invites women entrepreneurs to tackle problems such as how they could transform consumer payments and/or commercial experiences. Those with the winning solutions in each category will receive $100,000.

The program will culminate with a finals event to be held during the kick-off of the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.

HBO shared a video tribute called #BecauseOfHer that encourages women to start a little trouble and make their voices heard, as told through a quote by filmmaker Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle). The video features several characters from HBO shows such as Game of Thrones, Veep and Westworld, but also films like Norma Rae.

 

SXSW 2019: Macy’s Plan To Compete With Amazon Is To Treat Their Employees Like Influencers

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Shoppable content is driving sales and innovation for Macy’s, with the legacy brand leveraging their own employees—and the model may work for others, too.

The biggest eCommerce challenge for Marc Mastronardi, EVP of business development at Macy’s Inc., is the “connection of bringing an experience into the shopping world.”

For the company, this meant rewarding their employees for sharing fashion items from the store through a proprietary editorial tool that provides employees insight into what items to shift based on season, store location and internal initiatives.

At Friday’s SXSW panel, ‘Why Storytelling Sells: Platform Purchasing Power,’ including James DeJulio, president and co-founder of Tongal, who built the platform, alongside Marc Mastronardi and Lauren Wilner from Macy’s Inc. spoke about how their Macy’s Style Crew program is an iterative and scalable solution to a problem many enterprise brands face.

At 18 months into the program, Macy’s Style Crew is a way for the 160-year-old brand to differentiate.

It’s open to anyone within the Macy’s organization, from sales associates to programmers to execs. So far, the program has 1,000 ambassadors from 40 states leading to an average order value of $175, with a single post netting up to $22k in sales.

“For us, our consumer is constantly changing,” said Lauren Wilner, Macy’s VP of business development, fashion. And what does that consumer expect? “It’s giving [the consumer] a voice, and speaking in an authentic voice.”

“The ability to transact simply is where everyone has to be, but the differentiator is: can you create an experience?” said Mastronardi.

Mastronardi summed up their presence as a healthy eCommerce entity while restating the challenge:

“We’re the 8th largest seller of anything on the internet. Making sure we maintain that momentum [. . .] is how you bring the editorial side, the experiential side, the moment that makes you stop and pause and want to be engaged in shopping with us.”

The paradigm shift, as Macy’s puts it, is to transform “from a company selling to people to people selling to people.”

 

At SXSW, Diversity Starts At The Top

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For marketers, it’s not enough to meet consumers with purpose and inclusivity-driven marketing initiatives: the work starts internally, in the boardrooms of corporations, fashion houses and ad agencies.

That was the message at ‘Feminist Rising: Why Brands Must Take A Stand,’ a panel moderated by Jennifer DaSilva of Berlin Cameron and including Rebecca Minkoff and  Kimberly Jenkins from the Parsons School of Design; Pratt Institute, Becca McCharen-Tran of Chromat.

For Kimberly Jenkins, an educator currently working with Gucci to guide top-down diversity after their recent ‘blackface’ debacle, it begins internally with the people behind the brand.

“For a multi-national luxury brand, it’s questionable how diverse it is at the top,” said Jenkins. “It’s important to have someone lead the course and help guide them in expanding their scope of vision.”

“When you have someone who can educate you about other people’s lived experience […] it really helps to walk the walk of innovation and bring in a diverse group of people.”

Jenkins continued, “If you want to cater to this new market, this is what you do: educate yourselves and from within, create a workforce or executive team that reflects that.”

The sentiment was echoed by Chromat founder Becca McCharen-Tran. For her, every brand is automatically political and any communications reflect the brand. That’s why it’s so important to listen to the people on your team that have a lived experience relative to your diversity initiative.

“We’re not doing this just to get more money or just to get more customers. We’re doing it because this is the world we want to see.”

Behind the curtain, McCharen-Tran is ensuring that diversity is foundational. Representation is about what her teams look like, from hiring femme photographers, black makeup artists and disabled photographers.

“People see themselves in the brand […] that personal connection has helped us really build trust and loyalty and a really wonderful community because of that.”

Why is it so important for companies to walk the walk? It’s easy enough to send an International Women’s Day tweet or champion diversity with consumer-facing marketing. But, it’s really not enough. Case in point, there’s been a fair share of campaigns that fall flat.

“I think you can notice it and consumers can smell it when it’s just for advertising’s sake,” said Rebecca Minkoff. “What is the reason why you’re doing this? Does the company stand behind the values they’re talking about?”

Developing a company culture and a diverse workforce that reflects those values is imperative. “Those brands that you can smell… they’re not authentic from their gut,” said Minkoff.

Kimberly Jenkins agreed. “Internally, if you have a shaky foundation, things just fall apart.” She continued, “When you look up who’s running this thing […] it’s bound to fall apart. You can see right through that.”

So, what do you do if a crisis hits your brand and a campaign is called out for its inauthenticity?

“It’s an honor. It means that they care about you enough to help you,” said McCharen-Tran. In short, it’s a moment to educate the creators and decision-makers so it doesn’t happen again.

For brands, the alternative to not taking these steps internally can mean missing out on a much-needed perspective and listening opportunity, a miscalculated campaign and an enormous demographic. After all, women drive 80 percent of consumer purchasing decisions.

Wondery Welcomes SVP; Netflix CMO Resigns

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This week’s executive shifts include podcast network Wondery welcoming a senior VP of marketing, Price Chopper Enterprises appointing a new CMO, Netflix’s CMO resigning, Kraken hiring a CMO from Sony, WGBH naming their new marketing leader, Church’s Chicken appointing a new global chief marketing officer, Smoothie King hiring a CMO, Recording Academy appointing new chief digital officer, Complexity Gaming hiring a chief marketing officer, Roar picking up a CMO, NorCal Cannabis appointing a former Twitter VP as CMO, UPS appointing a VP of diversity marketing, Genius picking up a marketing veteran from Vox Media and a chief marketing officer for KASA Hotels.

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

Wondery Welcomes A Senior Vice President Of Marketing

Podcast producer Wondery appointed a media veteran Rena Unger as the network’s senior vice president of marketing.

Unger, a previous industry lead for IAB and head of marketing for SiriusXM, will be responsible for overseeing all Wondery’s marketing efforts and listenership development.

“Wondery’s storytelling enrolls listeners in unparalleled ways. By engaging all senses through thoughtful cinematic and drama building sonic signatures, Wondery is hitting the content mark audiences are craving the most. This is a marketer’s dream. I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to be instrumental in telling Wondery’s unique story to the industry and listeners at large,” she shared in a press release.

Price Chopper Enterprises Appoints New Chief Marketing Officer

Price Chopper Enterprises has has promoted Casie Broker to chief marketing officer.

Broker has been with the company for eight years, most recently serving as a VP of marketing. In this role, she successfully rolled out grocery delivery for all stores, as well as brokered a sponsorship with the Kansas City Royals. Previously, she was the director of marketing for Cosentino’s Food Stores and spent five years in marketing with Associated Wholesale Grocers.

“Casie has been an extremely valuable part of our team for many years,” said Peter J. Ciacco, Price Chopper Enterprises’ CEO. “We’re pleased to have her take another step forward in her career within Price Chopper.”

Netflix’s CMO Kelly Bennett Resigns

Netflix CMO of almost seven years, Kelly Bennett, is leaving the company, Variety reported in an interview with the marketer on Thursday. Bennett will remain with the company for an interim transition period and is committed to staying at Netflix through the end of the year if necessary, and Netflix confirmed that the company is searching for a new chief marketing officer.

Bennett told Variety that this decision was his personal choice and that he wasn’t asked to resign by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.

“Given the success, we’re at today — the way we’re performing as a team — it’s the right legacy for me to leave while we’re at our very best,” he said. Bennett’s plans for after the leave are to be semi-retired. “I likely will never work full-time again. That’s not something I’m particularly interested in,” he told Variety.

He also said that he’s planning to pursue roles in the non-profit sector or teach, and possibly serve on a few boards of other companies.

Kraken Crypto Exchange Hires Former Sony Studio CMO

Kraken hired Matt Mason to be the company’s first chief marketing officer. He was previously the studio head for Sony-Funded 1-800-N0TH1NG and the chief content officer for BitTorrent.

In an interview with CoinDesk, Mason spoke about his decision to join Kraken, “I’ve been interested and involved in distributed technology for much of my career, and there isn’t a better brand in the crypto space than Kraken. I’m incredibly grateful I get to work with this amazing group of people.”

WGBH Names Tina Cassidy Chief Marketing Officer

WGBH President Jonathan Abbott announced the appointment of Tina Cassidy as the company’s new CMO.

Cassidy, previously public relations and strategic marketing executive, will lead WGBH’s marketing, communications and public relations efforts. She will also be responsible for local and national marketing, institutional branding, events strategy, creative and design services, station relations, as well as audience and media research.

“I am a native New Englander who grew up with WGBH. Its educational programming helped shape who I am and instilled a love for this brand, which I am so honored to now be a part of,” Cassidy said in a statement, “The way we tell stories and connect with audiences is evolving rapidly with new technology, shifting demographics and consumer preferences, all of which creates new opportunities for extending the reach of this organization at a time when trusted content has never been more important.”

Church’s Chicken Hires Former Burger King Exec As CMO

Atlanta-based Church’s Chicken welcomed a new global chief marketing officer, Brian Gies, on Tuesday. Gies’ background includes overseeing marketing efforts at TGI Fridays and Burger King and he will officially start his new role as a CMO on March 18th and focus mainly on leading the improvement of market share.

According to Atlanta Business Chronicle, the CEO of Church’s, Joe Christina, said in an announcement, “Brian is joining the team at a very exciting time. He has proven successful in building winning teams, delivering results and working with franchisees to grow their business.”

Rebecca Miller Joins Smoothie King As CMO  

Smoothie King Franchises Inc. announced that Rebecca Miller will join the brand as a chief marketing officer. Miller will succeed Jennifer Herskind, the former CMO, who left the company in February. The industry veteran, Miller will lead Smoothie King’s marketing strategy in addition to its “Clean Blends” initiative.

Miller previously served as senior vice president of marketing for Dallas-based On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina and spent almost 10 years in various brand marketing and product innovation roles, which includes Plano, Texas-based Pizza Hut Inc., a division of Yum! Brands Inc.

Recording Academy Appoints Lisa Farris Chief Digital Officer

The Recording Academy announced on Wednesday its appointment of Lisa Farris to the role of the company’s chief digital officer. Farris will lead a digital media team, oversee content strategy, data analytics, audience growth and product strategy. Her background includes serving as chief digital and brand officer for analytics firm MetricVision and chief marketing officer for Move Inc.

Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow, to whom Farris will be reporting, said in statement for Billboard, “[Farris] is a leading digital innovator who recognizes the Recording Academy has incredible opportunities to inform and inspire music fans through new products and platforms, and we’re very fortunate to have someone with her depth of experience and far-sighted perspectives on the industry join our team.”

Complexity Gaming Hires Chief Marketing Officer

Complexity Gaming, an esports team owned by the Dallas Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones, has appointed Cameron Kelly as the company’s chief marketing officer. Kelly was previously the director of strategy at United Entertainment Group. According to a statement, at UEG “he conceptualized and oversaw integrated marketing campaigns for major corporations, such as Toyota, Frito-Lay, S.C. Johnson, Allstate, JCPenney, and more.”

Kelly’s “role [will include] all marketing initiatives for the organization, from creating and distributing original content to increase brand awareness, all the while navigating the ever-changing, complex esports landscape.”

Roar Picks Up Chief Marketer

Roar Beverage Company has hired Eric Berniker as the company’s chief marketing officer. Berniker was previously CMO of CORE Nutrition and prior to that he was the VP marketing for Pirate’s Booty.

“I think a big part of the job will be to continue to fan the fire,” Berniker told BevNet. “The brand last year grew 500 percent and that was with a really lean team doing some amazing things. So it’s about how do we take those things and scale them and continue to raise awareness for the brand in different ways.”

Twitter Veteran Leaves For Cannabis Company

NorCal Cannabis Co, a cannabis consumer goods company, has appointed Joel Lunenfeld as the company’s chief marketing officer. Lunenfeld left Twitter in 2017 after six years as VP, global brand strategy.

Lunenfeld spoke to Benzinga about his new appointment: “When I started at Twitter in 2011, social media was just starting to become a mainstream mode of communication in society. Being able to tell our story and educate people about how and why to use Twitter was our top job. At NorCal, educating people about cannabis and building consumer trust is the most important pillar of our growth as well. It will be our number one job moving forward.”

UPS Creates VP Marketing, Diverse Segments Position

UPS has appointed Kathleen Marran to the newly created position of vice president of marketing, diverse segments. Marran is a longtime marketer at UPS and her current title is VP of US marketing.

UPS chief marketing officer Keving Warren said of the appointment: “These initiatives will expand our capabilities within the small and medium-sized business space and leverage our global logistics expertise to help accelerate the growth of minority- and women-owned companies. Adding additional professional resources and new product and support programs is part of our focus on offering solutions that support small businesses in their goals.”

Genius Hires Ex-Vox Media For VP

Genius, the NYC-based digital music media company, has hired Keisha Wright to be the company’s VP, integrated marketing. Wright comes to the company from Vox Media, where she was SB Nation’s director of network development. Prior to that she also worked for a number of years at Time Inc, InStyle, Macy’s and the NBA.

Genius also announced the appointment of Laura Ostler Kinniburgh as head of music licensing and Devan Joseph as head of video.

KASA Hotels Announces CMO

KASA Hotel Collection has appointed Pablo Gonzalez as the company’s chief marketing officer. Gonzelez previously worked in marketing at regional Hyatt hotels in Mexico City and Playa del Carmen.

According to a press release, Gonzelez will be “responsible for the positioning of the KASA Hotel Collection and for growth through traditional and digital marketing and management. He will manage a staff of 12 people, with responsibilities ranging from content creation to reservations.”

Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment is updated until Friday, March 8. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.

Job Vacancies 

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

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

Sony Mobile’s VP Don Mesa On The Brand’s Core Messaging And Measuring Brand Effectiveness

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Don Mesa, Sony Mobile’s VP of marketing, sat down with AList at MWC19 to discuss 5G’s effect on marketing, the redefining of Sony and measuring brand effectiveness.

What would you say is Sony Mobile’s core message is in 2019?

Redefined. I think it starts with the Sony Group. It used to be the case where a lot of us didn’t talk so much with each other; we just had a name that we shared. These days—especially this year at CES—our group, CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, talked about the notion of this creative entertainment company that Sony is now. At first glance, it was a little bit hard to understand what that meant but what he was getting at was the idea of convergence between our entertainment assets with our professional grade technology and finding a way to create that convergence and synergy between each other.

Where in the past, entertainment is entertainment, technology is technology, but how do we combine this and become a new force? That is redefining at the group level and then we are taking it to our level at Sony Mobile.

That’s how we’re looking at Xperia—being redefined. Honestly, we can be the embodiment of that. The requirements for content drive us at the high end and we need to make sure we are meeting that at the technical level with the mobile phone.

Do you think that mobile, in terms of marketing, has become the most important place for consumer’s eyes?

The phone has become your own personal screen and it has your life in it. You’re always going to look at it and it’s certainly a place where they have all the attention. It’s your personal phone; it’s your personal life. How much of that can be fed with promotional information? That is the true challenge. You certainly don’t want to be blasted with advertising, especially when you’re trying to find some personal stuff and “Boom!”–it hits you.

As a manufacturer, when you hand over the phone to the consumer, whatever they do with it, becomes them, right?

It becomes a personal self. For us, when we are working with the top end creators, whether it’s in film, TV, or games, we are not talking about just simple “oh, just put out some video.” We are working with guys who are making Jumanji and Spiderman, so they’re a little picky about a lot of things. We need to make sure we are catering to their needs. And cater to what they feel is the most pristine look and feel of their products. I certainly binge a lot on Netflix on my phone now, and regardless of where I’m at—playing Clash of Clans—it’s something you’re personally invested in and immersed in.

We want to value that time that you’re putting in there. By looking at sheer utility is not how we can see this because we know we are working with our sister companies that are saying, “Look, this is what we value,” so we have got to make sure that we have similar values all across.

How do you think 5G will affect marketing? Can you think of the applications that can come from it?

The values that 5G can bring to the table are things like location-based and real-time activity and there is a lot more interactivity, wherever you are. I think these days, the freedom of being able to speak is not something you can just prepackage; you can’t just take your time and say [that] we are going to have the perfect message, perfect look and feel. You’ve got to be instant.

We see a lot of that’s happening already: a lot of people are already filming and creating their content and doing their promotions in their way, but that’s at the ground level—grassroots level. But how do you look at formalizing that and still [remains] authentic and instantaneous, wherever you are, and yet get that message across? I think there is a lot of creativity in being interactive, but you have to be authentic. You can’t just manufacture a statement; you have to make sure that you’re living the brand, that you’re connected with the brand, and that speaks a lot to Sony’s core values.

Are you working with influencers?

We hadn’t in the past; we are certainly doing that now. That has a lot to do with what our devices can enable people [to do]—the camera especially. In fact, the person who was behind the Alpha camera series and our RX camera series is now the head of development on our side. He actually brought the Alpha camera technology. We have professional camera stuff in here. It’s like you have your own little personal studio. You can film your content, edit it and you can output it right on the spot. It’s amazing how much technology has come with the phone. All these things that used to be separate pieces are converging into one.

Do you believe its harder than ever to control a brand’s identity or messaging?

The brand itself has to have that equity and it does have to stand for something. [Brands] also have to refresh it. It will resonate for a generation, but here is a new generation, what does that mean now? For us, [it means that] we have to look at our core values constantly. What do we stand for? Who are we talking to? What is that model? What is that driving force for us? I think that’s when we know what the driving force is for the generation we are speaking to; that’s when we know we can put it in their hands and let them do the talking.

As a marketer and VP, how do you abandon micromanagement? 

A lot of trial and error. It’s always hard to let go. If you’re able to keep the focus simple, you remind [your employees] what’s the core, what’s the value proposition, who you are talking to and what are they doing that’s different. I look for the people that can and have their voice. I want to hear your voice, let that come out. What is your story? I certainly can’t do what younger people are doing now. Especially with all the tools that they have. I think seeing what they’re capable of doing is what excites me, so I’ll tell them, “Hey here is your box. So long as you’re hitting these marks, this is who we are trying to talk to. Here is what we stand for. Where do you take it from that point? It’s ok to make a mistake—I’ll help correct and guide—but let’s see what you can do.”

How do you measure brand effectiveness?

It’s certainly about the engagement, so I am looking at the likes, the shares, the comments, and at the same time, I’m looking at the level of resonance that is happening when we put something out there. I’m ok if only 1,000 people are looking at our stuff. If we have consistency. We know we have a base to start with, then [we] are building from there. I don’t mind the waves—the ups and downs—but I want to make sure that we are consistently building a base.

What areas of marketing technology are you investing your time and part of your budget in?

I’m going a little old school, I guess. I’m going back to touchpoint marketing, where activations are empowered by collaborations. You know how those hip hop artists who are all you have three of them on one record and they all have their parts, but that thing is a hit and hits each rapper’s base? I’m applying that at the ground level whether I’m doing, [whether it is] activations at a red carpet with one of Sony Pictures’ properties or I’m at a music festival.

It must be nice to be able to work with Sony’s entire family.

It’s fun and it’s very creative because I can’t do the same thing every time. I did pick that up from the gaming site; gamers quickly move on to the next thing. You can’t just rehash. I’m just happy that I can actually go back and still do event activations, but just do it in a different flavor. These days people need to have that hands on. You get the information going around digitally and over the air, but getting on the ground and getting people to feel the legitimacy to it, the tangible aspect—I think there is room for that now. Everyone wants memories and it has to be on the spot.

Instagram Tests Co-Watching; ‘Game Of Thrones’ Snapchat AR Marker

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Follow our daily social roundup to keep up with the latest news from each platform and learn about the newest, most innovative social campaigns.

Instagram Is Testing Video Co-Watching

The reverse-engineering specialist Jane Manchun Wong spotted Instagram testing a co-watch feature on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Co-watching can make more ads visible to the platform users, as well as drive more attention to specific content.

The details: The code, spotted by Wong, reveals a “co-watch content” feature, which is hidden inside direct messaging. This means that soon the platform may allow group co-viewing, similar to Facebook’s “Watch Party.” It is yet unclear, however, whether it will be possible to watch the videos simultaneously.

Snapchat And HBO Bring AR Experiences To ‘Game Of Thrones’ At SXSW 2019 

Snapchat has reportedly worked with HBO to create AR elements for the Game Of Thrones castle at SXSW 2019  to promote the upcoming season of the show.

Why it matters: Snapchat and HBO collaboration is a great example of a brand using the platform’s AR marker tech tool to amuse the customer and promote the product in an innovative way.

The details: Snapchat’s AR marker tech is a tool that connects the digital AR technology in a phone to real-world objects. At the SXSW 2019 Game Of Thrones tent, the tool makes the banners featuring various characters from the show digitally”bleed” when scanned with the lens on the Snapchat camera. And another lens shows a map catching fire. Also, a special pin that each visitor gets digitally burns and sparkles, when scanned with Snapchat.

Will Podcasts Become New Social Media? Edison Report Explains

Edison Research and Triton Digital released a report on Wednesday, in which they surveyed 1,500 Americans (age 12+). The findings revealed some peculiar trends on the use of mobile devices, social media and online audio.

Why it matters: The annual survey showed that over the past year, the usage of social media declined while the usage of smart speakers and tablets significantly increased. The numbers look especially promising for Amazon and Spotify.

The details: Here are some of the report findings:

  • 79 percent of Americans say they use social media, which showed only a one percent increase since 2018
  • Facebook lost roughly 15 million users since 2017 and saw a drop in usage among people age 12-34 from 79 percent in 2017 to 67 percent in 2018 to 62 percent in 2019.
  • Only 31 percent of Americans in the 12-34 age group say they use Pinterest, compared to 36 percent last year
  • 23 percent of Americans said they own a smart speaker; 16 percent own an Amazon Alexa device (that’s more than twice the percentage of Google Home device owners).
  • There was a 12 percent increase in the population of tablet owners.
  • 24 percent of the survey respondents used Spotify and 12 percent used Amazon Music in the last month.
  • 32 percent of Americans are monthly podcast listeners compared to 26 percent in 2018 and  The format saw a 33 percent of active podcast listeners are within the 12-24 age group.
Twitter Announces New Analytics Tool For Publishers

Twitter announced the debut of “Timing is Everything,” a new analytics tool for publishers focused on video engagement.

Why it matters: The main purpose of Timing Is Everything is to provide the publishers with more actionable data and help them improve their performance on the platform.

The details: The tool displays historical data with the insights about when audiences are active on Twitter and when they are watching and engaging with video. This data then suggests the best time(s) to Tweet video content. The chart doesn’t provide information on when organic followers are watching videos but shows when people on Twitter are generally watching any video on the platform.

Facebook Announces Privacy-Focused Messaging And Social Networking Platform

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg announced in a blog post on Wednesday that the platform will shift its to encrypted communications on its messaging apps.

Why it matters: Although public social networks will continue to be very important in people’s lives, there is a significant rise in demand for private interactions, which Facebook aims to satisfy.

The details: According to the blog post, the privacy-focused platform will be built around the following principles:

  • Private interactions. People should have simple, intimate places where they have clear control over who can communicate with them and confidence that no one else can access what they share.
  • Encryption. People’s private communications should be secure. End-to-end encryption prevents anyone — including us — from seeing what people share on our services.
  • Reducing Permanence. People should be comfortable being themselves, and should not have to worry about what they share coming back to hurt them later. So we won’t keep messages or stories around for longer than necessary to deliver the service or longer than people want them.
  • Safety. People should expect that we will do everything we can to keep them safe on our services within the limits of what’s possible in an encrypted service.
  • Interoperability. People should be able to use any of our apps to reach their friends, and they should be able to communicate across networks easily and securely.
  • Secure data storage. People should expect that we won’t store sensitive data in countries with weak records on human rights like privacy and freedom of expression in order to protect data from being improperly accessed.

Instagram To Introduce A New Ad Type To Grow Influencer Campaigns

As reported by AdAge, Instagram is in the process of developing “Branded Content Ads,” a new ad that will allow brands to sponsor and promote posts created by celebrities and publishers.

Why it matters: The new ad type will enable businesses to significantly increase the value of their influencer marketing campaigns.

The details: According to AdAge, Instagram revealed some statistics that show that 69 percent of users say they come to Instagram to interact with celebrities, and over 80 percent of accounts follow a business on the platform, which means the new ad type will be a valuable addition to already existing Instagram’s branded content tagging system. In combination with the “Paid Partnership” tags, brands now can extend their promotions.

Pinterest Extends Ad Platform To Austria, Spain, Italy And Germany 

Brands in Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy can now run standard and video ads on Pinterest, Adweek reported on Wednesday.

Why it matters: According to Pinterest’s global head of partnerships, Jon Kaplan, half of the platform users are located outside of the U.S, which means marketers should expand their advertising efforts beyond the native borders.

The details: In addition to the countries above, Pinterest ads are available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland, Australia, France and New Zealand and are currently being tested in the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Switzerland.

Snapchat Adds Eight Different Languages To The App 

Social Media Today reported that Snapchat recently added eight new languages to the app.

Why it matters: More multilingual options provide better opportunities to the marketers for a brand, product and promotional content localization.

The details: The new languages include, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjab, Filipino, Vietnamese, Urdu and Malay. As we can see from this list, the majority of the added languages are primarily spoken in India. Per SocialMediaToday, India is a key growth region of focus for social media apps at the moment.

Pinterest Introduces Catalogs And Personalized Shopping

To encourage spring shopping and increase business potential, Pinterest is adding more ecommerce tools to the platform, the company announced in a press release on Monday.

Why it matters: The new updates aim to offer more ways for the users to shop for items related to their search history and personal preferences and make retailers more accessible to users who are looking for these products.

The details: The newly added features include:

  • Shop a brand: A new dedicated section will soon allow the user to see a brand’s catalog by clicking “more from [brand]”.
  • Catalogs: Brands can now upload their full catalog to Pinterest and easily turn their products into  Product Pins, which means more shoppable Pins across Pinterest. Also, a new dashboard allows businesses to organize their feed so their products can be discovered and purchased by Pinterest users.
  • Shopping Ads:  Shopping Ads will be available to all businesses through the self-serve”Ads Manager” tool and will allow brands to promote items from their existing product feed.

Does Instagram’s ‘Swipe-Up’ Feature Increase Sales?

This week, eMarketer investigated the new Instagram “Swipe Up” feature in relation to influencer marketing strategy.

Why it matters: eMarketer found that the feature both directly drives purchases and provides a valuable measurement tool for marketers, however, it still lags behind other social-media related marketing strategies.

The details: “Swipe-Up” could make possible the ability to track influencer activity to performance. At the moment, influencer marketing is still considered inferior to other marketing techniques, such as social media, online advertising and content marketing, which, according to a survey by OnBrand and Bynde, are having the biggest effect on buyer behavior, eMarketer reported.

Instagram Is The ‘It’ Platform For News Companies

According to Axios, some newer news publishers are choosing to launch on Instagram, hoping to engage a younger generation of news consumers.

Why it matters: Although Instagram is not very monetization-friendly and is difficult to link out from, it makes a great platform for audience building and engagement. Axios reported that it is harder to launch a news brand on Instagram today than it was on Facebook years ago.

The details: Some of the examples mentioned by Axios include,

  • @thismuchiknowglobal— A news startup revolving around Instagram stories, was found by former British Vogue deputy editor, Emily Sheffield, and reportedly is being financed by the Guardian’s venture capital fund.
  • @jessicayellin— A news brand from former White House correspondent on CNN.
  • @theshaderoom— Entertainment news platform has 15 million follower base and focuses on breaking news about celebrities.

LinkedIn Rolls Out ‘Hello Monday,’ A New Podcast About Rapidly Changing Work Lives

In a blog post, LinkedIn announced the launch of a new podcast, Hello Monday, which will highlight the role LinkedIn plays in the professional development of the platform’s users.

Why it matters: It’s another branded podcast from the social platform as it expands its digital offerings.

The details: Hosted Jessi Hempel says “I’ll bring you intimate interviews with guests who have significant ideas to share about how to prepare for the future based on what they’ve figured out trying to navigate their own careers–people like Women’s World Cup champion Abby Wambach, Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, and Tim Brown, CEO of the design firm IDEO. Their stories will inspire at the same time as they leave us with practical advice.”

‘Bloomberg’ Grows Instagram User Base With Longer Videos

According to Digiday, Bloomberg’s main Instagram account reached 700,000 followers thanks to videos of interactive charts.

Why it matters: Bloomberg seems to have found a good formula for their audience with longer-form videos—which seems counterintuitive to much of the social platform landscape.

The details: Bloomberg grew nearly 400 percent in 2018, per Digiday. While still being behind on numbers, compared to The Economist (3 million) and The Financial Times (1.3 million), Bloomberg receives more monthly video views, which boosts its growth and engagement. Bloomberg reportedly has around 2 million Instagram video views a month and uses minute-long videos to further explain the stories behind the headlines.

Instagram Is Testing In-App Local Business Profile Pages

Tech tipster Raj Nijjer tweeted on March 2 about Instagram testing in-app profile pages for local businesses.

Why it matters: The new tool displays the business address, hours, contact information and website.

The details: The pages greatly resemble Google local knowledge panels and a link to the business’ Instagram profile is featured at the top of the page. Businesses should be able to claim a business profile page in case they have access to the business’s Facebook page. Instagram hasn’t yet confirmed the feature.

Barbie Celebrates 60th Anniversary With Pop-Ups, Cause Marketing Campaign

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Mattel has launched a massive global campaign to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its famous Barbie doll brand. Rather than focus solely on its iconic toy, however, Mattel has turned its attention to 20 influential women and partnered with organizations that inspire young girls to follow their dreams.

Barbie turns 60 this year and it’s fairly safe to say that she’s aged quite well. Holding various careers throughout her productive, plastic life, the blond bombshell has been both praised and criticized for her empowerment and proportions, respectively. In recent years, Mattel refocused the Barbie brand to be more diverse, realistic-looking and offer hands-on programs to empower girls.

Mattel has also launched a new initiative called “The Barbie Dream Gap Project Fund. The term “dream gap” refers to the time between a girl dreams about possibilities vs. when she starts to doubt her ability. Mattel will donate $1 for every Barbie doll sold in the US between March 6 and March 11 to this fund up to $250,000.

A number of US pop-up activations will take place this weekend, beginning with an installation in NYC that includes art, fashion and a celebration of Barbie’s history.

On March 9 and 10, Grammy-nominated country music star Kelsea Ballerini will host the first of Barbie’s “Be Anything” tour. The tour will visit 36 US Walmart stores beginning in Bentonville, AR. Visitors will hear about Ballerini’s journey, enter to win $20,000 to make their own dreams come true and take part in “interactive experiences.”

Amazon will host a number of activations, as well. “Barbie Presented by Amazon” pop-up stores have appeared in five major markets across the US and will remain there to host Barbie experiences through April 2.

An exclusive Barbie-themed apparel collection for girls aged five-to-10 called “What Will You Be” will be offered at participating Target locations.

Visual messages will be displayed on global landmarks including the Empire State Building in NYC, Tokyo Skytree, CN Tower in Toronto and Bondi Beach in Sydney.

Just in time for Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Mattel revealed that 20 new women will be honored as part of Barbie’s 60th-anniversary celebration, as well as its ongoing “Shero” initiative. “Inspiring Women” dolls are modeled after real-life women that are considered to be positive role models. Previous examples have included pilot Amelia Earhart and artist Frida Kahlo, along with modern women like conservationist Bindi Irwin and mathematician Katherine Johnson.

This year marks the biggest and most diverse line-up that Barbie has honored to date, according to Mattel. This year’s “Shero” inductees include surfer Maya Gabiera, tennis player Naomi Osaka, cycling champion Kristina Vogel, ice skater Tessa Virtue, actress Yara Shahidi, activist and model Adwoa Aboah, artistic gymnast Dipa Karmakar, photographer Chen Man and Australian journalist Ita Buttrose.

Rent The Runway Heralds Home Goods Expansion With First SXSW Pop-Up

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Rent the Runway will engage in a number of “firsts” this weekend—first presence at SXSW, first pop-up activation and first time showing its West Elm home textile offerings.

Rent the Runway is a subscription service that allows subscribers to borrow designer fashion for less than the cost of a purchase. The 10-year old brand was listed number nine on CNBC’s list of ‘Disruptor 50’ companies, alongside giants like SpaceX and Uber.

Beginning this summer, Rent the Runway customers will be able to rent home items like throw pillows and quilts through a partnership with West Elm. SXSW attendees can visit the West Elm store on 5th Street Austin this weekend to view and touch a specially-curated collection.

In addition to home items, guests can shop as SXSW-themed Rent the Runway clothing and accessory collection, including designs from Victoria Beckham, Reformation and Brock Collection.

SXSW can be a hectic time, so keeping in the theme of making “women feel empowered and self-confident every single day,” the pop-up will offer free hair and makeup styling appointments throughout the event. “Cosmic readings” will also be available on-site.

Rent the Runway will also host its first SXSW panel called “Living a Rented Life” on March 9. There, West Elm and Rent the Runway will explore disruption in the sharing economy.

Each year, brands, speakers and attendees descend on SXSW to share and discuss new ideas. The festival is a fitting platform for both Rent the Runway and West Elm who can reach their target audience at a time when they are searching for inspiration.

Like many direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, Rent the Runway is also venturing into the physical space. The clothing rental service has five permanent locations in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, DC and Woodland Hills, CA.

During Advertising Week New York 2018, DTC mattress brand Casper said that the move to brick-and-mortar was never a matter of “if,” but a matter of “when.”

“For us, it wasn’t about the old model,” explained Capser CMO Jeff Brooks. “While some say it’s the death of retail, we think it’s the rebirth of retail.”

A Comprehensive Guide Of The Branded Events At SXSW

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Looking to loosen up and maybe cut a rug while you’re at SXSW? Here are the parties, mingles and networking events we think you should know about. While you’re at it, see our marketer’s guide to SXSW panels here.

All panel times are CST. Please be advised that many of these parties require SXSW badges. 

March 7th

Bleed for the Thrones

Game of Thrones and the American Red Cross are inviting you to prove your dedication to the throne by donating blood.

When:

  • Thursday 3/7 from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Friday 3/8 from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Saturday 3/9 from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Fair Market, 1100 E 5th St.

RSVP

March 8th

BUMBLE-Free Breakfast, Tacos, Coffee

Start your mornings with free breakfast tacos and complimentary coffee and maybe stay for tips from Bumble profile experts on how to put your best face forward.

When: Every day 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Jo’s, 242 W 2nd

RSVP 

House of Scandinavia

Be a guest at SAS’ House Of Scandinavia and experience Scandinavian philosophy, culture, food and business.

When: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m (daily)

Where: 111 Congress Suite 700

RSVP 

LG Inspiration Gallery

Get inspired at LG’s Inspiration Gallery, where all things tech are celebrated.

When: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Vince Young Steakhouse, 301 San Jacinto Blvd.

RSVP

The Visible Music Box

The Visible’s Music Box recording studio will record you singing, playing music and send you home with a recording of your efforts.

When: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Where: 6th and San Jacinto

RSVP

International Women’s Day Celebration

Toast to International Women’s Day—a day that celebrates the achievements of women, with old friends and new acquaintances at SXSW.

When: 2:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Where: Palm Door On Six, 508 E 6th St.

RSVP

Cheddar & Miracle GRO Opening Night Party

Cheddar invites you to discover the future of gardening at the opening night party for Harvest HQ.

When: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: 78 Rainey St

RSVP

The Norwegian SXSW 2019 Social Mixer

The Norwegian tech and innovation community is bringing together their US and global network for a social mixer with good music, food and drinks.

When: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Where: House of Scandinavia, 111 Congress Ave

RSVP

March 9th

Capital One House At Antone’s

Join Capital One for talks, demos, sights, sounds and surprises, as well as live music showcasing a mix of national and local artists.

When: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 a.m.

Where: Anton’s Capital One House, 305 E 5th St.

RSVP

The Tito’s Party

Vodka, music and adoptable puppies. Do we need to say more?

When: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Arlyn Studios, 200 Academy Drive #140

RSVP

Netflix’s ‘The Highwaymen’ House

Step into a 1934 speakeasy for cowboy cocktails and join the hunt to help the Texas Rangers wrangle up Bonnie and Clyde. Fans get a character name and RFID wristband to unlock experiences, play games and earn points to redeem at the swag store. Brand yourself an outlaw by selfie-ing with a getaway car and wanted sign.

When: 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Where: Bangers Basement, 81 1/2 Rainey

RSVP

Buzzfeed Presents: SO EXTRA TERRESTRIAL

Join BuzzFeed and The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico as they land at SXSW in Austin for “So Extra…Terrestrial.”

There will be drinks, bites and stellar music.

When: 8:00 p.m. – 11:59 p.m.

Where: Mohawk, 912 Red River St

RSVP

Nerdist Presents: ‘Captive State’ Party At SXSW

Join Team Nerdist, Focus Features, and Participant Media at their Captive State Party at SXSW and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and captive state-themed drinks.

When: 8:00 p.m. ­– 12:00 a.m. 

Where: The Main, 603 Red River Street

RSVP 

March 10th

Digital Media Women Day

Hosted by a network of professional women founded in Germany, Digital Media Women’s event will revolve around the question of visibility for all women in media.

When: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Where: Downtown Burgers, 503 E Cesar Chavez

Belgian Café at SXSW 2019

Join the Belgian Delegation at Uncle Billy’s Brewery to meet with creative companies, startups and discover promising music talent from Belgium.

When: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Where: Uncle Billy’s Brewery & Smokehouse, 1530 Barton Springs Road

RSVP

March 11th

VR For Good: Celebration Of Creativity

Join for an evening to celebrate the power of social presence and the magic of Oculus by showing the world how VR drives creativity, community and connections.

When: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: 807 E. 4th St

RSVP

Blockchain House Happy Hour

Head to The Blockchain House for sips and bites.

When: 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: 606 E. 3RD STREET

RSVP

SoDA Happy Hour

Head to Dogwood Austin’s outside patio to meet with SoDA Members and other digital marketing peers from around the globe.

When:  5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: Dogwood 715 W 6th St

RSVP

March 12th

Google Fiber Space 

The Refresh Working Group, Google and Swell Creative Group host a day of food activations, discussions, and cooking demonstrations to show how AI is transforming the entire food system.

When: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Where: 201 Colorado St

RSVP 

Doordash Tiny House With Torchy’s Tacos

From March 12th – March 14th join DoorDash in downtown Austin for free food and drinks, games and music.

When: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Where: 98 Red River St

No RSVP required

#UniquelyTurkish Flying Carpet Party

Celebrate life with the new Turkish music wave, Turkish drinks, and treats presented by chefs of UNESCO Gourmet City Gaziantep.

When: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Where: Magic Caravan 5003 Burnet Road

RSVP

March 13th

Dr. Martens Presents 

Come check Dr. Martens event, which offers live music and pop-up shops.

When:12:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Where: Container Bar – 90 Rainey St.

RSVP

Hackathon Afterparty

Come join the developers, coders and artists who’ve just spent 24 hours building new technologies for music, AR/VR, AI.

When: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Where: CU29, 720 Brazos

RSVP

March 14th

Next Level Apparel Pop Up

Swing by Clive Bar to see amazing live music, surprise guests and a personalized #FavoriteTee from Next Level Apparel.

When: 1:00 p.m.

Where: Clive Bar, 609 Davis St

RSVP

March 15th

Beats x Beers Festival

Save the date for Beats x Beers Festival.

When: 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: 2502 Webberville Road

RSVP

Comedy Central’s Backyard Bash

Come for the Drunk History dunk tank and stay for the Broad City friendship bracelets.

When: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Where: Pelons Tex Mex & Bar, 508 Mezcalerita