Welcome back to our Weekly Social Media Bites! It's a brand new week and we have the latest snippets of what's happening in the social media sphere and adland below.
Social
Universal Music Will Pull Its Tracks From TikTok
As of 1 Feb, Universal has announced that it will withdraw its music from the app after negotiations between TikTok and Universal Music Group failed to reach a new agreement on usage rights. Universal, which is home to some of the biggest music stars on the planet, including Taylor Swift, Adele, Drake, and Billie Eilish, says that TikTok offered less than it had hoped on both compensation for its artists, as well as safeguards about generative AI usage. This is going to be a big blow for the app, especially considering that TikTok made music a much bigger focus of late, as it works to capitalise on its rising value as a music discovery platform.
TikTok Shares Tips on How Brands Can Incorporate Humour Into Their Marketing
TikTok wants brands to try and be more funny, as a means to create more resonant messaging in the app. According to the social media giant’s latest research: videos posted to the hashtags #funny and #comedy have six trillion views in the app, 7 in 10 viewers say “making people laugh” is considered the most enjoyable aspect of watching TikTok ads, among other findings. Therefore, TikTok recommends that brands consider more light-hearted, comedic approaches to their in-app campaigns, which they can tap into by either working with established creators, or by researching in the app for tips.
Instagram Launches Live Test of New Flipside Alternative Engagement Space
After experimenting with it over the past few months, Instagram has now rolled out its new “Flipside” alternative profile option to a small subset of users. “Flipside” option provides an alternative profile space which is only accessible to you and your chosen connections. Once you’ve created a Flipside, you can then select it as your post audience, meaning your post will only go to that space. You can then visit and view your Flipside as an alternative profile gallery, where you can also add a new profile name and picture, if you choose.
Inspiration
How Elmo captured the hearts of the world with just 9 words
"Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?" It was just a simple post put out on social media platform X by the well-loved Sesame Street character this week but it essentially broke the Internet. The post went viral with 191.4 million views and 16,000 people replying to Elmo and letting him know their honest struggles. Some spoke about losing their jobs, broken relationships, mental health struggles and more. Some brands also began jumping on the virality train such as Domino's Pizza which responded with a funny meme and OREO, Ritz Crackers and Adobe Photoshop which added a cryptic reply to the post.
Be Yourself ‘Little Garlic’ Says Apple in its Annual Chinese New Year Film
Apple has launched its seventh annual film celebrating Chinese New Year with a Shot on iPhone cinematic creation. The 15-minute film called “Little Garlic” was directed by Marc Webb, and welcomes the year of the Dragon with the story of a young girl battling insecurities about her broad nose – which her grandpa lovingly calls “garlic nose.” The film, which features Fan Wei, is described by Apple as a “charming and heartwarming tale about self-discovery in our pursuit of life in the modern world.”
‘Every Vape Is a Hit to Your Health’ Says Campaign in Australia
The Cancer Institute NSW has launched a new vaping behaviour change campaign that targets 14 to 24-year-olds with the message ‘Every vape is a hit to your health’. The campaign aimed to highlight the serious health harms caused by vaping and features real stories from young people who have vaped and experienced first-hand the health consequences of vaping. Respiratory doctors also feature, sharing the evidence and experience they’ve had of vapes causing serious health problems.
We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we do!
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