The Brief: 010 / 16 April 2024

By Lucy
Someone wearing white Adidas Samba sneakers | The Brief

PikTok

It seems TikTok is gearing up to unveil its long-anticipated standalone photo app, possibly named “TikTok Notes” (we think they’ve missed an opportunity in not calling it PikTok, but we’ll trade mark that for later).

Some users have started receiving notifications indicating that their photos uploaded on TikTok will soon appear on this new platform as well. Essentially, TikTok is taking a page from Instagram’s playbook, creating a dedicated space for still images already shared on its main app.

This move could be seen as TikTok’s response to Meta’s (formerly Facebook) dominance in the social media landscape. Interestingly, TikTok had previously hinted at a photo app named “TikTok Photos,” but now it looks like they’ve settled on “TikTok Notes” instead. This change may or may not also be a subtle jab at Instagram, which has a feature called “Notes.”

TikTok has been actively encouraging users to share still images within its app, even introducing a “photo mode” in 2022. The question now is whether TikTok’s user base will embrace a separate platform solely for photos. With this move, TikTok is clearly trying to expand its offerings and challenge the established players in the social media arena.

Content is Queen

Do you use content marketing as part of your strat? If you don’t (yet) – you’re one of a very small percentage.

According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), 73% of B2B marketers, and 70% of B2C marketers use content marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy.
And, half of the surveyed marketers by CMI said they outsource at least one content marketing activity.

Did you know that 83% of marketers believe creating higher quality content less often is more effective? As content marketers, we 100% agree – we know that great, consistent content is an important asset for any business.

If you’re looking to enhance your content or tailor it better to your audience, Search Engine Journal’s Content Marketing Report featuring 35 key stats is a must-read. Need help with your content marketing? We can help with strategies tailored to your business goals as well as creation and implementation – from websites to blog content, social media and more.

Bluey Forever

Have you watched the latest Bluey episode yet?

From AirBnb to Hammerbarn, to the campaign around the latest episode “The Sign”, the marketing team are doing a stellar job.

Some of us in the office have watched the 28-minute Season Three finale, but we promise we won’t spoil it for those who haven’t watched it.

ICYMI, the latest episode, which aired on April 14, featured Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, Chilli, and the rest of the Heeler family celebrating the wedding of Bandit’s brother Radley to Frisky in their Queenslander home. The family also tackled a significant transition of their own, with their house up for sale and the prospect of relocating to a new city.

The episode is an emotional rollercoaster with some pretty masterful writing that’ll capture the attention of small kids and adults alike, and you’re never quite sure how the episode is going to end.

But it’s the campaign marketing that really did it for us. The marketing team pulled out all the stops by partnering with Domain, the real estate marketplace, which included a real-life property listing (that’s now been updated and may contain a spoiler), complete with mobile phone number which goes to Bucky’s voicemail, and a hilariously clever two-minute video. In the video, well-known Brisbane real estate agents are shown realising they’ve been outmanoeuvred for a listing by a new character—a dog real estate agent named Bucky Dunstan. It’s an awesome blend of humour and marketing that perfectly captures the spirit of Bluey.

What is it that makes Bluey so damn likeable with adults and kids? We love Bluey’s ability to tackle life’s toughest questions and themes with a blend of ease and relatable humour. At its essence, Bluey is a show about love, connection, and the lengths we go to to care for each other – and shares this narrative it does this really well, addressing the primary audience’s (that’s kids, of course) needs while also tapping into emotions that resonate with adults around the globe. It serves as a clever lesson in crafting content that resonates with universal human experiences, appealing to any audience – regardless of age. These guys are genius storytellers, and genius marketers.

Insta-Notify

Instagram’s new Notify sticker is a fresh tool for creators to engage their audience and ensure their posts don’t get lost in the algorithm shuffle. In a nutshell, it allows users to set reminders for upcoming content – once a viewer taps on the Notify sticker, they’ll then be able to choose which elements they get notifications about. The idea is that it’ll address frustrations with posts not reaching all followers. While the Notify sticker offers a direct way to connect with engaged fans, it does parallel existing features like Favourites.

Still, it presents an overt method to encourage priority viewing, potentially enhancing reach for creators. From a marketer’s perspective, leveraging this sticker could bolster engagement and maximise content visibility among dedicated followers.

Sunak’s Samba Misstep

UK media is mourning the demise of the Adidas Samba brand, attributing its sudden downfall to a single Instagram post featuring UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rocking the iconic kicks in an, let’s say, interesting outfit choice.

Social media erupted with comments ranging from “time to burn my shoes” to sheer disbelief.

It’s a reminder that one fleeting moment can tarnish years of brand loyalty…

Despite Samba’s heyday in the ’70s and ’90s, it made a killer comeback recently among Millennials and Gen Z, even snagging the title of “shoe of the year” for three years straight. But now, thanks to Sunak’s unintentional fashion faux pas, the brand’s cool factor might’ve taken a serious hit.

Who knew a PM’s wardrobe choice could cause such a stir? Was it an intentional move by Rishi Sunak to try and appeal to people on the street? And is any publicity, good publicity? Sunak has apologised, saying he’s been an Adidas devotee since he was a kid. Guess we’ll have to wait and see if Sambas stay on top of the shoe pile in 2024!

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.

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