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- TikTok, Candle Media Ink Strategic Partnership, Will Co-Develop Content
- Kick Just Stole xQc And Amouranth, Twitch’s Top Male And Female Streamers, Within 48 Hours
- Sephora Announces Newest Influencers To Support Diverse Beauty Voices
- New Study Finds Marketers Are Diverting Digital Advertising Budget To Creator-Led Marketing
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Great Reads
TikTok, Candle Media Ink Strategic Partnership, Will Co-Develop Content
TikTok and Candle Media have announced a strategic partnership at the Cannes Lions festival, marking the collaboration between Kevin Mayer, former TikTok CEO, and the content company he now heads. The deal involves co-developing premium content, along with branded content and advertising sales. Candle Media's acquisition, Hello Sunshine, founded by Reese Witherspoon, will play a significant role in the partnership, identifying and promoting members of the #BookTok community. The collaboration aims to uncover underrepresented authors and literary material and support the development of film, TV, and audio projects.
Additionally, TikTok will sponsor Hello Sunshine's LitUp Writer Fellowship Program. The partnership expands Candle Media's reach, leveraging TikTok's growing video platform for content studios and providing an appealing opportunity for advertisers. Candle Media entities like ATTN, Moonbug Entertainment, and Exile Content will also engage in branded content efforts. The collaboration reflects TikTok's commitment to supporting creators and amplifying diverse voices in storytelling.
Kick Just Stole xQc And Amouranth, Twitch’s Top Male And Female Streamers, Within 48 Hours
In a shocking turn of events, Kick has managed to snatch two of Twitch's top streamers within a span of 48 hours. First, xQc, who was previously the biggest streamer on Twitch, signed a reported $100 million, two-year, non-exclusive contract with Kick. Shortly thereafter, Amouranth, Twitch's most-watched female streamer, announced her departure to Kick, although the details of her deal have not been disclosed.
What's even more surprising is that these streamers will no longer be appearing on Twitch, thanks to the platform's new policy that prohibits cross-streaming between platforms, even in non-monetized form. Twitch's move raises questions about whether it was a preemptive measure in response to xQc's departure.
Kick's recent high-profile signings, including these two streamers, are further augmented by the platform's lucrative 95-5 revenue split for "normal" creators. This starkly contrasts with Twitch's standard 50/50 split, or at best, the 70/30 split for select partners. The allure of such a revenue share has enticed numerous long-time streamers to at least give Kick a try.
While skepticism looms over Kick's long-term prospects, its short-term impact is undeniable. Twitch is facing a PR disaster, losing prominent names and potentially alienating smaller streamers dissatisfied with the platform's revenue policies. The question remains: How many more streamers will Twitch lose before it takes significant action? Only time will tell if Twitch can weather the storm or if it will be forced to implement substantial changes to retain its talent.
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Campaign Insights
Transforming Coverage: Rachell Butts On Mabel's Labels' New Approach To Gifting Campaigns
Rachel Butts, Public Relations and Partnership Manager of Mabel's Labels, discusses the transformation of their influencer gifting program. They shifted from repetitive collaborations to curated packages that generate authentic content. Butts highlights the importance of long-term influencer partnerships, tracking success through revenue and organic coverage. She predicts a booming creator economy as consumers increasingly rely on peer-to-peer reviews.
Mabel's Labels stands out by prioritizing customer satisfaction and engagement, actively listening to feedback and improving their labeling solutions. They work with influencers who share their values and aim for genuine, long-term relationships.
By bringing the influencer gifting program in-house, Mabel's Labels controlled the messaging and created compelling packages. This led to increased coverage, with influencers producing valuable content. Butts encourages fair compensation and advocates for maintaining successful partnerships.
Sephora Announces Newest Influencers To Support Diverse Beauty Voices
Sephora has unveiled its latest lineup of influencers for the Sephora Squad influencer and ambassador program, focusing on promoting diverse voices in the beauty industry. The program received a record-breaking number of applications this year, with over 16,000 individuals vying to become beauty ambassadors.
The selected influencers represent a wide range of races, ethnicities, religions, ages, body types, sexual orientations, and experiences. Sephora aims to amplify beauty messaging across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube through this diverse group. With 70% of creators identifying as people of color and a strong representation from Spanish speakers, non-binary gender groups, and the LGBTQIA+ community, Sephora continues its commitment to fostering inclusivity and providing a welcoming space for underrepresented voices in beauty.
Unilever’s DEI Chief On A New Initiative To ‘unstereotype’ Branded Influencer Content
UK start-up Bulla Co, a Gen Z influencer agency, has acquired student marketing firm Hype Collective in a strategic move to expand their reach in youth influencer marketing. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but Bulla Co recently raised a 'six-figure' pre-seed round. With the addition of Hype Collective, Bulla Co aims to cover all aspects of youth culture through social media-led campaigns, providing new opportunities for brands and creatives.
The CEO and founder of Bulla Co, Joshua Roche, expressed excitement about the acquisition, emphasizing their commitment to market leadership and pushing the boundaries of creativity in influencer marketing. Hype Collective, founded in 2017 and a portfolio company of The Family, has collaborated with brands like Warner Bros. Entertainment, Co-op, and Deliveroo. Simon Lucey, Managing Director at Hype Collective, expressed enthusiasm for the merger, stating that the combined expertise would offer a broader range of services and deliver better results in the student space.
Most Popular Brand Collaborations With Minecraft
Our editiorial team explores the most popular brand collaborations with Minecraft, the wildly popular video game boasting over 130 million players. Minecraft's broad appeal among children and adults, particularly the 24-year-old demographic, makes it an attractive platform for brands aiming to connect with Gen Alpha while tapping into nostalgia. The game's vibrant and easily replicable art style allows brands to seamlessly integrate their own image, monetizing Minecraft's unique look while staying true to their own vision.
From fashion to sportswear, brands have experimented with merchandise, leveraging Minecraft's sandbox nature. Notable collaborations include Burberry's digital clothing mod, AAPE's streetwear hoodies, Lacoste's immersive Croco Island DLC, Angry Birds' dynamic crossover, Puma's creative shoe collection, Crocs' camo shoes with interactive QR codes, and Lego's popular sets. Furthermore, collaborations with Nick's Ice Cream, Dungeons & Dragons, Pringles, and others showcase Minecraft's versatility across various industries. These collaborations highlight the power of digital media for brands to reach new audiences and explore new marketing opportunities.
New Report Shows That Consumers Are More Swayed By UGC When Compared To Influencer Marketing
A recent survey conducted by EnTribe, a software company specializing in user-generated content (UGC), reveals that consumers are more influenced by UGC than traditional influencer marketing. The survey, which polled thousands of American consumers aged 18 and older, found that 81% of respondents stated that a brand's use of influencers had little to no impact, or even a negative impact, on their perception of the brand. In contrast, 90% of consumers expressed a preference for content created by actual customers. The survey also showed that 86% of consumers are more likely to trust UGC over brand and influencer collaborations.
Furthermore, only 12% of respondents were willing to buy a product marketed by an influencer, while 62% stated that UGC would be more likely to lead them to make a purchase. The report emphasizes the rising popularity of UGC, which results in positive brand perception and purchase behavior. Brands are advised to incorporate UGC into their marketing campaigns, as 82% of consumers are more inclined to purchase a product that features UGC. The survey highlights a shift in consumer behavior towards valuing authenticity and relatability in marketing efforts, with UGC playing a significant role in building trust and driving sales. Additionally, the report suggests that podcasts offer a lucrative opportunity for brands to collaborate and advertise their products to highly engaged audiences.
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Interesting People
AB Lieberman On Clicks Talent's Rise To The Top: Revolutionizing TikTok Influencer Marketing
AB Lieberman, CEO of Clicks Talent, shares his journey and insights on revolutionizing influencer marketing on TikTok. Lieberman started as a freelancer for social media companies before founding Clicks Talent, focusing on social media apps and personalized collaborations with over 5,000 TikTok influencers. Clicks Talent differentiates itself by working on a personal level with influencers, providing an efficient turnaround time, and securing competitive pricing due to long-standing relationships.
They have expanded their services beyond TikTok to platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Snapchat. TikTok stands out due to its constant innovation and ability to change user behavior. Lieberman highlights a successful music promotion campaign on TikTok as their breakthrough, securing a record label partnership and creating over 60,000 videos. Lieberman advises brands to collaborate with TikTok influencers who specialize in the platform, set clear goals, and focus on quality and consistent content. In the future, Lieberman predicts the creator economy will continue to grow, with new and crazier content becoming the norm.
Kyla Scanlon financial education TikToks
Kyla Scanlon, a 26-year-old former options trader, has gained popularity as an influencer using social media platforms to make finance engaging for young audiences. Through her company, Bread, Scanlon produces viral videos and skits on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. By assuming the role of figures like Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and mimicking different stocks, she humanizes financial concepts, drawing viewers in with humor.
Scanlon's content aims to help young people understand the impact of economic topics on their lives, demystifying abstract concepts such as interest rate hikes. One of her viral videos delves into "doomerism," a pessimistic view of life and the economy. Scanlon strives to empower her audience by providing them with a deeper understanding of Wall Street issues, including the job market, inflation, and recent bank failures. With almost 166,000 followers on TikTok, over 156,000 on Twitter, and 28,000 YouTube subscribers, Scanlon's unique approach is making finance fun and accessible to a wider audience.
Forget retirement. These Baby Boomers are amassing huge social media followings
A new trend is emerging among Baby Boomers as they amass large social media followings instead of retiring. Seniors like Helen Polise, a 62-year-old TikTok star known as "The Muthership," are finding success and fulfillment in their second careers as influencers. Polise started her TikTok account as a pandemic distraction but soon turned it into a lucrative venture, offering paid tutorials on using TikTok. Other brands have taken notice of this growing "granfluencer" economy, with older influencers partnering with companies like CeraVe, Hyundai, and Chobani.
The creator economy, valued at $250 billion, is projected to double in size by 2027. The number of people aged 65 and above on social media has been steadily increasing, with 45% of that age group on social media in 2021. These older influencers aim to challenge stereotypes about aging and promote positivity. Additionally, their social media presence provides a supportive community for both themselves and their followers. With authenticity and a desire to inspire, these granfluencers are reshaping the online landscape.
Meet Eva Gabriella: Social Media’s Fave Makeup Artist
Eva Gabriella, a successful makeup artist and micro-influencer based in Southern Spain, shares her experience and insights on leveraging social media to build a thriving makeup business. Eva discusses her background in the industry, the challenges she faced, and her proudest moments as a makeup artist. She emphasizes the importance of building trusting relationships with clients and going above and beyond their expectations. Eva's social media strategy focuses on creating high-quality content, particularly through Instagram Reels, which has generated significant engagement and reach.
She advises aspiring makeup artists to invest in the right tools, maintain consistency, and engage with other businesses in their area. Eva's success as a micro-influencer is attributed to her authentic and genuine approach. She stays motivated by genuinely enjoying content creation and ensures her posts are high-quality and on-brand. While she keeps an eye on trends, she prefers to focus on makeup trends rather than fleeting social movements. Eva believes that photography, editing, community building, strategy development, and a determined mindset are essential skills for success in the influencer industry. She hints at potential future projects, including expansion into the UK market and collaboration with other artists.
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Industry News
New Study Finds Marketers Are Diverting Digital Advertising Budget To Creator-Led Marketing
A recent survey conducted by CreatorIQ, a creator marketplace program, reveals that marketers are redirecting their digital advertising budgets towards creator-led marketing. The survey report, titled "Can Creator-Led Marketing Really Drive ROI?", gathered responses from over 130 marketers and provided valuable insights into the industry. Key findings include: 67% of businesses increased their influencer marketing budget in 2023, nearly all respondents observed a positive correlation between sales and creator content on social media, and 60% of businesses prefer to pay influencers per piece of content.
This data indicates that brands are recognizing the effectiveness of influencer marketing and are willing to invest in it. Additionally, the report highlights the impact of creator-led content in driving click-throughs and conversions, even for niche audience segments. The study also discusses the diverse compensation models used by marketers, with a preference for per-content payment and commission-based structures.
Patreon is giving creators a new way to earn money from their fans
Patreon, the fan funding platform, is implementing significant changes to offer creators more opportunities to earn money from their fans. One of the key updates is a revision to the subscription model, allowing patrons to receive certain updates from creators even without paying. This move aims to create a centralized space for creators to engage with a larger fan base.
Additionally, Patreon is introducing a tool called Commerce, which enables creators to sell products directly to their fans, such as individual videos, podcast episodes, and downloadable files. These transactions will be processed through Patreon's existing subscription system. Patreon will take a 5% cut, along with applicable fees and taxes, for transactions on Commerce. Early access to the new features will be rolled out gradually in the coming months.
The Shorty Awards Announces Elevate Creatives Fund With Wave To Support Creative Entrepreneurship
The Shorty Awards has partnered with Wave to launch the Elevate Creatives Fund, aimed at supporting creators in the influencer marketing industry. The fund will provide five creatives with $20,000 each, along with financial resources. David Axler, Chief Strategy Officer at Wave, emphasized the challenges faced by creators who often handle various aspects of their businesses, such as admin work, content creation, marketing, accounting, and more, without being experts in those areas.
The Elevate Creatives Fund aims to address these challenges by offering funding and financial expertise. Recipients of the fund will receive personalized bookkeeping and financial coaching from Wave's team of experts, including business coaches, tax experts, and bookkeepers. Independent and freelance creatives in the US or Canada can apply for the fund until September 15, 2023. The judging criteria will focus on creativity, quality, impact, and growth plans. Wave aims to support creators with their financial management software and free content, while the future of influencer marketing is predicted to continue growing.
Instagram finally lets users download Reels
Instagram has finally closed the gap with TikTok by introducing a new feature that allows users to download Reels, similar to TikTok's download functionality. Initially available only to US users on mobile, the feature enables users with public accounts to download Reels by tapping on the "Share" icon and selecting "Download." However, users can choose to block others from downloading their Reels.
The downloaded Reels will be watermarked with the Instagram logo and the account name, akin to TikTok's watermarking practice. This move by Instagram is likely aimed at increasing the visibility of Reels on other social media platforms. It's worth noting that while Instagram allows videos from rival platforms to be uploaded, its algorithms no longer promote watermarked videos from competitors.
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Great Paywalled Content
American Companies Held Hostage by the Whims of TikTok - WSJ
TikTok has emerged as a powerful force in the world of marketing and media, impacting consumer trends and disrupting traditional research and development processes. The platform's ability to shape consumer preferences has led companies to scramble to mass-produce products or make adjustments based on fleeting feedback. Businesses now consider TikTok an essential consideration for staying relevant, particularly among younger shoppers. Companies across various industries, including fashion, cosmetics, and food, are using TikTok as a platform for product development and trend monitoring.
Chipotle Mexican Grill faced the challenge of accommodating a popular off-menu item, the "Keithadilla," which went viral on TikTok. Despite initial operational difficulties, Chipotle made the item a permanent menu addition to cater to the demands of TikTok users. Similarly, Tarte Cosmetics leveraged TikTok trends to develop the Maracuja Juicy Lip and Cheek Shift, which quickly became the brand's fastest-selling product. However, not all attempts to capitalize on TikTok trends are successful, as seen with WYOS, a personal-care company that had to scrap influencer videos showcasing a product misuse due to potential harm to customers.
The Titanic Truthers of TikTok - The New York Times
In the realm of influencer marketing, TikTok has emerged as a breeding ground for historical revisionism and conspiracy theories, with the ill-fated RMS Titanic at the center of the latest controversy. False narratives and manipulated content about the 1912 maritime disaster have found new life on the popular short-form video app, blurring the lines between established facts and misleading information.
TikTok's powerful algorithm and personalized feeds have proven effective in spreading such theories, captivating a young audience often lacking historical context. From claims that the Titanic never sank to allegations of a "hit job" orchestrated by financier J.P. Morgan, the platform has become a hub for debunked and baseless conjectures. Experts express concern about the misinformation's influence on impressionable minds and the need for media literacy to counter its spread.
Talk of a U.S. TikTok Ban Is Shaking Up the Creator Economy - WSJ
The prospect of a U.S. government crackdown on TikTok is causing anxiety among content creators who rely on the platform for their livelihood. While not abandoning TikTok altogether, many influencers are seeking to diversify their audiences by expanding to other platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Competing platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat's Spotlight are trying to entice TikTok creators with revenue-sharing programs.
Influencers and small-business experts warn that a ban on TikTok could have a devastating impact on the over $100 billion creator economy in the U.S. However, digital advertisers are not currently pulling back spending on TikTok. Despite concerns about a potential ban, ad spending on the platform at agencies like Mekanism is actually increasing. Market research firm Insider Intelligence predicts that TikTok's digital ad spending will reach $6.19 billion by year-end. TikTok has become a vital platform for advertisers to reach the young Gen Z demographic, with over 23 million adult users aged 18 to 24 spending about 1 hour and 16 minutes on the app daily.
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