Cell phones took over Cyber Monday, Twitter doesn't mess around with data privacy, and Secret wants you to shop from women-owned businesses.
December 6, 2019
Penny for Your Thoughts?
Don’t you wish you could get inside your followers’ brains for a quick second, just to see what they think of your brand? (And that’s it — you swear.) Well, we don’t have updates on any mind-reading tech, but Twitter has expanded access to its Brand Survey tools, which is sort of similar. Now, all managed accounts can use ad response surveys to gain additional insights into their campaigns, like which specific tweets or creative elements stick with viewers the most and drive brand lift. Brand surveys also provide invaluable audience feedback to help marketers refine elements of current campaigns and influence future ad strategies (no mind reading required).
On Thursday, We Give Thanks …
… and on Monday, we spend $12 million per minute. Oh yes, Cyber Monday did not disappoint this year. According to Adobe Analytics, U.S. consumers broke records and spent $9.4 billion online, with about a third of those sales coming from smartphones — and an impressive amount of those sales originated on social media. In fact, mobile social buying grew 41% from last year, and digital marketing agency PMG said it marks the most notable change year-over-year. It’s clear shopping has gone mobile, and more importantly, social. So marketers, now’s the time to dive into all the e-commerce tools offered by platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, because if you wait until next year, it might be too late.
Privacy, Please
These days, we’ve all got privacy on the brain, especially as California gears up to implement the California Consumer Privacy Act in January. In preparation for the law (which requires businesses to be more transparent with user data and privacy), as well as the upcoming election, Twitter launched its new Privacy Center. It’s an all-in-one destination for the platform’s rules and policies, as well as user controls for personal data settings and privacy tools. Twitter hopes to improve transparency and build trust with its users and partners by providing more comprehensive explanations of how data is collected and used by advertisers. As privacy laws become more stringent, marketers who advertise on social must stay informed with changing policies and increased data restrictions — because the conversation surrounding personal data use isn’t going away, it’s only going to get louder.
SPARK OF THE WEEK
Make Way for Women-Owned Wednesday
Did you know 40% of all U.S. businesses are run by women? Yet only 5% of holiday revenue this year is predicted to go to women-owned businesses. We’re not mathematicians, but we know when something doesn’t add up. And so do the marketers behind Secret Deodorant’s holiday campaign. The Procter & Gamble brand took to Instagram and YouTube to call attention to 100 female-led businesses across the country. The brand is encouraging users to support female-led businesses through its Women-Owned Wednesdays. A directory pinned on Stories and shoppable YouTube videos highlights the cause.
During the holidays, brands typically take one of two routes: sell, sell, sell, or give back. Secret has taken the latter. Rather than promote its products, the female-focused deodorant brand is using this time to support a cause and take a stand. And since Secret has long been a champion of women’s equality, tackling revenue disparity is a natural fit. The campaign feels uplifting, encouraging, and actionable — pointing out how a $10 purchase at a female-led business can make a difference. It’s a reminder that holiday shopping can promote good, and with positivity and authenticity, brands can take advantage of the spirit of the season to advocate for causes bigger than themselves.
