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
Instagram Downgrades Video Quality for Less Viewed Clips
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri explained that the quality of videos on Stories and Reels can fluctuate depending on engagement. Videos that receive fewer views over time may be downgraded to lower quality to optimise resources, while more popular videos will retain higher quality to improve user experience. However, this system may unintentionally harm less-viewed content, as lower quality could reduce engagement further. Mosseri clarified that the quality adjustment is based on aggregate engagement (not individual viewers) and benefits creators who drive more views. This approach appears to favour larger creators, which seems to contradict previous efforts to give smaller creators more reach on the platform.
YouTube Enables Shorts Creators To Request Brand Partnerships
YouTube is introducing new features to help Shorts creators monetize and track video performance. One major update allows creators with over 4,000 subscribers to send video linking requests to advertisers, offering brands the opportunity to sponsor their Shorts content. This initiative will enable creators to initiate brand partnerships, though they won’t directly earn from ads run on their videos. Instead, it helps creators establish relationships with brands for potential paid collaborations.
Meta’s Rolling out More Variable Ad Display Options
Meta is rolling out a new ad feature called "Flexible Media," which allows advertisers to provide multiple creative assets, such as images, for different ad placements. Meta’s system will then choose the most effective ad variations based on predicted user responses, aiming to improve ad performance. This is part of Meta's broader push toward automating ad campaigns, with tools like Advantage+ already enabling automated selection of which ads to show users. Flexible Media takes this further by allowing the system to optimise which images to display across different placements. While this approach may feel like it gives up control, it aligns with Meta’s AI-driven targeting strategy, which aims to maximise engagement by automating more of the ad creation and targeting process. Advertisers are encouraged to experiment with these automated options to see if they yield better results.
Inspiration
Prudential HK wishes patients to 'get well soon' with collaborative menu
Prudential Hong Kong launched a two-month "Get Well Soon" campaign in partnership with six local food brands, offering a specially designed menu to improve the dietary experience of recovering patients. The initiative aims to break the stigma of limited, bland recovery food and provides patients with healthier, more flavourful meal options. The menu includes healthier alternatives to comfort foods like dim sum, desserts, and bubble tea, curated by brands such as Tim Ho Wan and NuttieB.
‘What’s Your Spirit Animal?’ Asks Lazada in Campaign Ahead of 11.11
Lazada has launched a fun, interactive personality quiz called "What’s Your Spirit Animal?" to enhance shoppers' experience during its 11.11 Biggest Sale. The quiz, which offers participants insights into their shopping habits, assigns them one of four shopper personas (e.g., Impulse Buyer, Deals Snatcher), and provides exclusive promo codes for use in the Lazada app during the sale event. This initiative aims to engage consumers more meaningfully, beyond traditional shopping experiences. The quiz is part of Lazada’s broader strategy to incorporate AI and gamification into the shopping process. Through updates like GenAI and AI-powered Lazzie, Lazada offers personalised deals, exclusive vouchers, and rewards for positive shopping behaviour. This approach not only enhances the 11.11 event but also strengthens ongoing consumer engagement by tailoring offers to individual preferences and behaviours.
‘A World for All’: Singapore’s VivoCity Gets a Brand Refresh
VivoCity has unveiled a refreshed brand identity that emphasises its transformation from a traditional shopping mall to a dynamic destination for diverse, immersive experiences. The new branding features modern visuals, a vibrant colour palette, and engaging typography, reflecting the mall's evolving role in creating memorable moments for visitors. VivoCity aims to be more than just a place to shop, but a "world for all," offering inclusive experiences for everyone.
We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we do!
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