How much does big data know?
One story is that won’t go away in 2022 (or in the near future for that matter) is big data and privacy. Companies collecting sensitive data claim it’s anonymous as names are not attached to the specific data sets. The truth is, once you start collecting multiple data points it becomes easier to identify the individual. This will eventually become too creepy for the consumer – so how will marketers deal with increasingly personal data going forward?
The best Xmas content campaigns
To get you in the mood for Christmas here are two campaigns that stood out. A survey by mindfulness app, Headspace, found half of respondents ‘dread’ the festive season. So they created Christmas content that was a bit more realistic. McDonald’s on the other hand went completely over the top with a Mariah Carey themed campaign offering free food.
Virtual influencers on the rise
Not everyone is comfortable in front of the camera which is why some brands are turning to virtual influencers. On YouTube, they’re known as VTubers and are personalities who use an avatar, usually in anime style, to spread content. How popular are these talking avatars? Some studies claim these virtual influencers are three times more engaging than humans. Plus they’re easy to manage on set.
AI language becoming coherent?
We’ve talked about platforms like GPT-3 that use AI to produce human-like text and content before. While the initial results were promising, Google-owned DeepMind has raised the bar. Its new AI language algorithm reaches human-level performance when it comes to high school reading and comprehension. Copywriters don’t need to worry just yet – this new tech means we might actually get chatbots that are helpful.
BuzzFeed’s stock disappoints
BuzzFeed once promised to destroy the traditional media model with a 100% digital focus. After going public last Monday BuzzFeed’s stock closed 11% down on its first day of trading. By the end of the week, it had dropped 24%. Similar companies like Vox and Vice have put plans to go public on hold. Could it be that digital media valuations were based on hype rather than reality?
Safe design with Corporate Memphis
Corporate Memphis is an illustration design you’ve all seen. Generally, it’s characterised as colourful, flat 2D drawings centred around cartoonish figures with exaggerated body proportions and lanky limbs. Popular amongst big tech brands, is it lazy design or a smart content strategy to easily scale?
The AR consumer experience
Pandemic related lockdowns and a growing interest in the metaverse have meant consumers are even more attached to their digital devices. To grab attention, many brands are using augmented reality (AR) to differentiate themselves. Customers react better to experiences than passive content. Just check the figures: 1.6% engagement with static images versus 50% for AR immersion.
Virtual real estate
Some people have too much money. Decentraland is an online, virtual-only world that makes up part of the metaverse. The world may be virtual but the money is real. A plot of digital land recently sold for USD2.43 million — more than the average house price in San Francisco. Now we know why Facebook is focussed on all things meta.
Should you audit your content?
A content audit is a housekeeping exercise for your brand. It’s a reminder of every blog, video, image, or digital piece of content that you once decided was worth sharing. While it can be painful, it’s also useful to determine what content resonates, what bombs, and what’s missing.
Training for Singapore content creators
Singapore’s media regulatory organisation, the Infocomm Media Development Authority announced a partnership with YouTube at the Singapore Media Festival to help local content creators make inroads overseas. The opportunities for talented creators in the region is huge. Asia boasts two billion active social media users, the largest in the world, and it’s thought the global creator economy could be a trillion-dollar industry by 2026.
What you didn’t know about voice messaging
One of the more surprising revelations from the whistleblower released Facebook Papers was that Cambodian users accounted for nearly 50% of all global traffic for Messenger’s voice function. Turns out it was too hard to type in Khmer so users adapted the tech to something they could easily do — talk. Just goes to show how important different channels/platforms/formats are for particular segments of your audience.
Interesting Marketing Video and Report
Is this chicken real or a 3D animation? You decide.
Ever wondered what goes into making a classic James Bond chase scene with minimal CGI? #JamesBond #MoviesInsider #Insider
We’re not sure what took longer, creating the Sputnik V COVID vaccine or setting up this ad. #SputnikV
Futuristic animation with a Blade Runner cyberpunk feel is probably the only way to describe cryptocurrency.
MrBeast is one of the biggest content creators you’ve never heard of. How big? Well, he remade every single set from Squid Game.
A modern-digital-messaging-mobile-meta love story with a real-world twist.
Here’s a PG way to advertise adult toys.
Editorial driven animation – with a perfect voiceover delivery – explains what fuels America – beer.
Two Grab ads in an anime style that perfectly capture how we feel about fumbling for cash at the register and the smell of durian.
Slick cartoon animation that proves it’s not elves who made that watch you received as a present.
RIP Santa Claus – long live Mrs Claus.
Twitter Christmas stories show how Snow Spray is made – from real snowflakes apparently.
