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• Influencer Marketing • Social Updates • Creator Culture • Industry Insights •
TAKUMI’s insights team is curating the most impactful industry news and weekly developments right here 👇.
The state of brand behavior on Twitter and what’s coming next | Feb 2022
“We found one out of two people surveyed agreed that brands that rely on humor and jokes can feel outdated today. And when we focused on ages 18 to 34, this was even more true.
TAKEAWAY 🔥: Twitter has released the findings of its #RealTalk report, which combined tweet analyses and global surveys to determine how attitudes towards brands' behaviour have evolved. The report didn't yield any revolutionary insights, but there are a few findings which brands should keep in mind.
Firstly, people do value brands that have a social conscience (who’d have thunk?), with 60% of people saying they want to see brands join in with political and social moments 🗣. Weighing in on these topics can be seen as trend-jumping and disingenuous if the timing or sentiment is misjudged, but staying silent also doesn't go unnoticed. People don't want brands to be 'woke'; they want sincerity.
‘Brand Twitter' has become a cultural phenomenon in itself, offering brands and consumers a chance to interact in a uniquely informal way. The playful banter and lighthearted quips shared on the social stage have enabled brands to express a new depth of personality, and a new vehicle for marketing. 80% of those surveyed agreed that they don't mind brands trying to sell to them, "as long as it's as long as it’s fun, useful, entertaining, informative, or moves in some way". People are savvy and know when they're being sold to, so it's important that these moments leave a positive impression on consumers ✅.
The most significant finding is a trend of stagnation and sameness. In a blind test of tweets from prominent brands with all identifiable branding removed, only 1 in 3 people were able to correctly identify the brand responsible for the tweet. Keywords, archetypes and tweet length have become eerily similar, diluting anything unique or distinctive. Identity is the lifeblood of a brand, so it's no surprise that 9 in 10 people said they value brands that have a strong sense of who they are. Brands should review how they are communicating on social channels- not just Twitter- and evaluate who it is they are trying to engage 👥. With the global community connected online and united by the same trends, it's easy to forget that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy to reach them all. If we can take one thing from this report, it's the importance of a well-defined identity. We suggest starting by evaluating your brand’s values; let them lead.
Can TikTok Cut Out the Middle Man Between Creators and Brands? | 5th Feb 2022
“For marketers who seek more guidance and deals with flexible terms, influencer agencies might still have an edge, according to conversations with marketers, creators and consultancies.”
TAKEAWAY 🔥: Can TikTok's Creator Marketplace render agencies obsolete? The short answer is no.
The Marketplace enables marketers to directly engage top creator talent on TikTok for native campaigns without an agency go-between 🔄. Research published last month by TikTok revealed that creating ads specifically for the app, utilising native tools and partnering with creators, yields a much stronger response in terms of ad recall and viewing rates when compared to repurposed content. That much is fairly obvious, but the pros of the Marketplace - which also include cost-effectiveness and access to live reporting tools - won't revolutionise the entire influencer marketing ecosystem 🌱. For those daunted by the self-serve platform, there's always a full-service agency.
As well as offering marketers an end-to-end, holistic approach with tools and expertise tailored to each brand’s goals, agencies give creators greater payment flexibility and the added assurance that partnerships won't be 'spammy brand deals'. What's more, for brands wanting to take a multi-channel approach, TikTok Marketplace doesn't have the platform integration that agencies offer. And why would it? Ultimately, agencies shouldn't feel threatened by the Marketplaces of the present or future; they are an encouraging reminder of a thriving industry, and keep agencies on their toes.
Five Ways Brands Can Use The Creator Economy To Increase Awareness | 4th Feb 2022
“Content created by creators is meant to entertain users and even involve them with spontaneous video and photos, moving away from institutional — and let me say old-fashioned — advertising campaigns. Indeed, this characteristic lets brands have more direct contact with customers and catch their attention, not through VIPs or famous personalities, but people like them.”
TAKEAWAY 🔥: As social commerce functions evolve, so too does the creator economy 💸. Nowadays, brands are investing in more than just content streams and large followings; they are investing in the creator's own, carefully curated personal image. Partnerships are morphing into collaborations, with co-branded product lines- both real and virtual- and shared creative direction. Ambassadorships are on the rise, whereby creators are more heavily involved in marketing processes from ideation and strategy through to content creation, acting as creative consultants for brands ✨. These longer-term relationships are helping to professionalise the creator space even further, as brands leverage the trust that creators have built with their communities, and their extensive knowledge of those communities.
For those with a honed niche, it isn't uncommon to see them embark on their own entrepreneurial ventures and build on their personal brand to add an income stream that compliments their content creation; after all, they don't need to look far for customers 👀. With NFTs, live-stream shopping, and audio tools well on their way into the mainstream, it's an ideal time for brands to dip their toes before the space get too crowded.
🔎 Our recent Whitepaper report found that only 28% of UK and US consumers believe brands’ influencer marketing content adequately represents diversity in society, compared to almost two thirds of marketers (62%).
Why the discrepancy? ⚖️. As marketers, we are so heavily involved and invested in the campaign process that it can be hard to detach. Our creative vision doesn’t always materialise in the way we had hoped, and often our best intentions don’t come to life. That’s why it’s so vital to prioritise diverse leadership, because content is much less likely to represent diversity in society if it doesn’t start with a diverse team of people driving it forward 🌏.
Creators are the owners of cultural making-and-breaking moments. They represent the people whose stories haven't been told a thousand times before; the stories that need to be told. So remember to consult your audience (or a representative of that audience, like a TAKUMI creator), and don’t merely be led by data ❌.
If you want to download our Whitepaper for all our survey findings and insights, you can do so here 📑.
We’ll be back soon with more insights and updates.
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