An Ignoble Experiment: How brands can stoke "digital campfires"

Created for ignoble.experiment@arconati.us | Web Version

December 1, 2021

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The Big Story

11 up-and-coming social platforms

Sig Ueland outlines 11 social media platforms that are worth exploring, such as Live Nation-backed Octi, which enables users to craft videos and earn "Octi coins" based on engagement. Other platforms to watch include Yubo and Honk, which facilitate real-time conversations, MeWe, which focuses on user privacy and offers Stories and dual-camera video options, and the professional social network Polywork.

Full Story: Practical eCommerce (11/29)

Connecting & Collaborating

4 storytelling lessons from Twitter microfiction

(Pixabay)

Content marketer Jesse Stanchak offers four storytelling lessons from his side hustle of creating microfiction on Twitter, including having one central message and starting with an emotional goal. "When your goal is to invoke a feeling rather than rattle off a list of product benefits, it's easier to tell when your marketing is pulling its weight," Stanchak writes.

Full Story: SmartBrief/Marketing (12/1)

How brands can stoke "digital campfires"

Brands are following younger audiences and veering away from traditional social media platforms to tap into more intimate platforms such as Roblox and Discord to build "digital campfires" and spark authentic, trusted relationships, writes SW Projects founder Sara Wilson. Success with digital campfires requires a niche focus to cultivate "brand MVPs," catering to audiences' needs and rewarding participants, and by following five principles of trust-building, suggests Wilson.

Full Story: MIT Sloan Management Review (tiered subscription model) (11/29)

TikTok propels Gen Z women's startups

(Pixabay)

Many women in their teens and 20s have used TikTok videos to kick off their businesses, generating success stories such as Carmen Kossakowski's first-year sales of $35,000 for more than 4,000 global orders of her jewelry. Last year, TikTok's 1 billion users made it the most downloaded app in the world, and it's preparing options to improve e-commerce and advertising.

Full Story: The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (tiered subscription model) (11/30)

Marketer Moments

Dr. Squatch's social approach drives 400% growth

Direct-to-consumer soap purveyor Dr. Squatch attributes its 400% year-over-year sales growth and a coveted spot at Walmart to organic online engagement, social media platform ads, humorous YouTube and TikTok videos, memes and collaborations with "Halo" and "Star Wars," says CMO Josh Friedman. Other key factors include humor and "edutainment," Friedman says.

Full Story: Glossy (tiered subscription model) (11/24), Digiday (tiered subscription model) (11/29)

Featured Content

Sponsored Content from SmartBrief Marketing

The Future of Events According to B2B Marketers

In 2020, B2B marketers were forced to abandon their traditional in-person event playbook and turn to virtual events. At the onset of 2021, many marketers were optimistic about the prospects of once again attending in-person events, and yet, many marketers still planned to stick with virtual conferences and shows. So what does the future hold for events? SmartBrief surveyed B2B marketers to find out. Read the blog post and download our new infographic.

Platform News

LinkedIn offers live, newsletter tools to select creators

LinkedIn is enhancing its Creator Mode with newsletter creation and amplification tools, and by giving select users the ability to tap LinkedIn Live tools to reach more people within the app. LinkedIn says users are 20 times more apt to share a video across the platform than any other form of post, and live videos garner seven times more reactions than native videos and 24 times more comments.

Full Story: Social Media Today (11/30), Adweek (11/30)

Twitter requires OK before posting private videos, photos

Twitter has updated its privacy policy and will no longer allow users to share photos and videos of an individual without prior permission except images of public figures, from large public events or "shared in the public interest or add value to public discourse." Twitter said it's making the move to protect individuals from potential "emotional or physical harm" and will remove images based on individual requests.

Full Story: TechCrunch (tiered subscription model) (11/30), The Wall Street Journal (11/30)

UK regulator orders Meta to offload Giphy

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has told Facebook's parent Meta to sell its US-based animated GIF platform Giphy after a yearlong investigation determined the acquisition enables "Facebook to increase its significant market power in social media even further, through controlling competitors' access to Giphy GIFs." Meta says it had offered CMA assurances that it would maintain Giphy access for competitors and said it may appeal.

Full Story: TechCrunch (tiered subscription model) (11/30), The Wall Street Journal (11/30), CNBC (11/30)

Social Shareable

YouTube published details of the most popular content so far this year on its platform, spanning ads, videos, creators and music. The top three ads, in order, are "Alexa's Body" for Amazon, "#TheGOATin5G" for T-Mobile and HBO Max's trailer for "Justice League," while the top creator is MrBeast, who also created the top trending video, "I Spent 50 Hours Buried Alive."

Full Story: Adweek (12/1)

About the Editor

Mike Driehorst

(That's me on the right, with Rocky ensuring I have a good head on my shoulders.)

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