Brands discuss plans sans Facebook, gaming could be marketers' next move, and TikTok for Business is officially open (for business).
Your weekly digital marketing matchbox to kindle creative content.
July 2, 2020
Ready Marketer One
Who would’ve thought all the hours you spent playing video games could help your marketing career? Video games and esports have exploded in popularity recently (forecasts predict profits to reach $180 billion by 2021), especially during the pandemic — 82% of consumers globally either played or watched video games during lockdown. While the gaming world hasn’t been a place most marketers gravitated toward before, now’s the time to give it serious consideration. The marketing landscape continually changes (hello, COVID and Facebook ad spend protests), so it’s essential to have a comprehensive collection of options available for your brand. And there are many ways to get involved with gaming: partnering with influencers or buying on platforms like Twitch. It may seem unconventional now, but remember how we felt about TikTok marketing at first? So next time your boss catches you playing Animal Crossing at work, say it’s research.
Make Content, Not Ads
TikTok has been working hard to make sure its platform is appealing for marketers, and its latest declaration of “Don’t make ads, make TikToks” has got us thinking. The app is all about creativity and genuineness, so an average, run-of-the-mill ad is likely to stand out — and not in the right way. Now, with TikTok for Business, brands have five tools to up the marketing ante on the platform:
TopView, a 60-second ad when users open the app
Brand Takeover, a three to five-second ad served to the entire TikTok community
In-feed video ads
Branded hashtag challenges with shopping integrations
Branded effects
Remember, the best ads are those that don’t feel like ads — especially on a platform like TikTok, where authenticity is the name of the game. So, may we suggest you begin with a video of your CEO dancing to "Savage"?
No Facebook, No Problem
So many platforms and so little time. As a growing list of companies pull their ad budgets from Facebook for July (and potentially beyond), marketers face a new question: What’s our strategy now? Well, anything goes at the moment. Some brands are banking on popular platforms such as Gmail or dipping their toes into TikTok for the first time to keep campaigns on track, while others focus on sponsored content. Some aren’t even re-investing in ads at all, opting to save former Facebook funds for future projects. There’s no “how to market without FB” guide. Still, there is an opportunity for brands to explore new platforms and mediums (gaming and esports, anyone?) while trying out other marketing strategies, like content and inbound, to expand their audience. Regardless of what you choose, it’s a new path for brands that have relied on Zuckerberg-owned properties to connect with their customers in new ways.
WHAT LIT US UP THIS WEEK
Patagonia Paves Its Way
Welcome to July. We can’t say what this month has in store for most of us, but we can say what Facebook is dealing with: a boycott. Before you say, “Enough boycott news!” hear us out. We’re focusing on Patagonia, one of the first major brands to join the “Stop Hate for Profit” movement. The company has long used Facebook and Instagram to reach and mobilize communities, support grassroots organizations, and deliver action surrounding environmental issues. Last year, the brand spent $6.2 million on paid Facebook ads — and going forward, it will indefinitely stop all paid advertising (and limit organic posts) in all of its markets.
Patagonia relies on Facebook for reach, but a top marketing executive for the brand said it could no longer support the platform after its resistance to address the concerns of individuals and organizations. While the company said aspects of deciding to step away from Facebook were challenging, it’s looking forward to reevaluating its use of time and money. And clearly, brands have plenty of marketing options to explore (see above story). For companies big and small, leaving Facebook (even if for just a month) can be a catalyst for innovation and creativity — but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to better align resources and spend with brand values and mission.
