Laters, Lookalikes!

LinkedIn is removing the Lookalike Audiences targeting feature.

LinkedIn has recently made changes to its advertising features by removing lookalike audiences, which previously allowed advertisers to target users who closely resembled their existing customers or contacts. Our resident Ads expert Jess believes the update has a lot to do with data quality: “At the end of the day, a Lookalike audience is a cold audience.” She says. “ The platform’s ability to create a lookalike audience based on existing user data may be becoming harder with privacy laws such as GDPR. Google sunsetted their “Similar Audience” targeting a while ago, so I’m honestly not shocked to see this type of targeting leaving other platforms too.”

While Lookalike targeting could be an effective tool in reaching new audiences who likely had an interest in your service or business, there are still effective alternatives within the platform’s arsenal. One such alternative is “Predictive Audiences,” which functions similarly to lookalike audiences but draws data from LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms, your contact list within the app, and conversion data from the Insight Tag.

This more confined approach to audience targeting may yield better results, as it aligns closely with LinkedIn’s platform-specific data. Additionally, LinkedIn recommends exploring “Audience Expansion,” a tool designed to broaden your reach to users with related interests. By targeting individuals with similar skills or interests, you can tap into new quality prospects and effortlessly funnel them into your marketing efforts. With these options leveraging LinkedIn’s rich data sources, we reckon advertisers have ample opportunities to expand their ad audience and drive impactful results.

You can read an insightful article about it here.

Pin, Watch, Shop

Imagine being able to easily shop the items being used in the show you’re watching?

That’s the game-changing experience Pinterest is bringing to the table with the debut of their first-ever streaming series, Deliciously Entertaining, on Tastemade from February 23rd. This culinary extravaganza isn’t just another cooking show – it’s a bold leap for the platform, bridging the gap between entertainment and practicality by providing viewers with an interactive and easily shoppable journey.

So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, according to Animoto, a whopping 93% of consumers find video content helpful when making online purchases, and Pinterest is hoping to make the most of that. In other words, it’s not just about entertainment anymore; it’s about guiding consumers towards making informed buying decisions.

This is an already highly-engaged audience looking for inspiration; showcasing these products with the ability to shop is like having a virtual shop front in audiences’ living rooms. With the persuasive power of video, this could be a golden opportunity to prompt viewers to get started on their project, and turn them into buyers.

Here’s how the shoppable experience works: Each episode of Deliciously Entertaining runs for about 22 minutes, during which viewers can scan a QR code on-screen to access a Pinterest board loaded with shoppable Pins. These Pins contain everything from recipes to DIY tips related to the episode’s theme, providing a seamless way for viewers to recreate what they see on screen.

Hosted by US-based chef, entrepreneur and social media personality Danni Rose, Deliciously Entertaining will be a cooking and lifestyle show that will feature celebrity guests like Trixie Mattel, Lance Bass and Joy Cho (aka the queen of Pinterest with over 15 million followers).

While Pinterest’s debut on a streaming platform marks a significant milestone, it’s not the first time the platform has ventured into video beyond its origins as a mood board hub. Back in 2021, Pinterest launched Pinterest TV, a dedicated channel allowing content creators to produce full-length, live shoppable episodes that they could turn into a series.

It’s Not a Grime

In the world of marketing, where creativity reigns supreme, it’s often those who dare to think outside the box that make the biggest waves.

While traditional guerrilla tactics like graffiti raises eyebrows (and is illegal), reverse graffiti flips the script on traditional guerrilla tactics, proving that you don’t have to court controversy to make the biggest impact.

So, what is it?

Well, it’s not super new – at least as an art form – however it’s not super well-known. A street artist’s skull scape in Sao Paulo in 2006 was the first recorded instance of reverse graffiti.

In a nutshell, reverse graffiti is like creating art out of cleaning. Instead of using paint, it’s all about strategically cleaning specific areas of dirty pavements or walls to form eye-catching designs or messages. When you wrote “clean me” on the back of a car window as a kid, that was essentially reverse graffiti in its simplest form. Reverse graffiti artists, however, will use tools such as stencils and power washers to achieve the artwork they desire.

So is it vandalism, or a clever way to get your message across?

Well, it’s definitely a creative fusion of environmental awareness, artistic expression, and marketing ingenuity. By leveraging the contrast between clean and dirty surfaces, reverse graffiti grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression on anyone who passes by. Plus, it’s a refreshingly unconventional approach that sets brands apart in a sea of traditional advertising methods.

For marketers seeking innovative ways to make an impact, reverse graffiti offers a unique canvas to showcase their message. It’s edgy, it’s eco-friendly, and it’s sure to make waves in the world of advertising. So, next time you’re pondering your marketing strategy, consider the power of reverse graffiti to make a bold statement and leave your mark on the streets – literally!

Check out some examples we love here: Pinterest Ajax & others

Keen To Dive In?

If you love what we’ve shared above and want to be kept in the loop with our weekly email, The Brief, you can sign up here. We’ll only send you things we love and think you’ll find useful, and you can unsubscribe at any time. And if you need some help exploring any of the above within your own marketing strategy, or you need a rebrand, a custom website built from scratch, Google or social ads, print materials, blog posts – or the whole lot – we’d love to chat. Drop us a line here.