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- Influence Weekly #343 - How Lenovo Got 50+ ASMR Creators To Organically Showcase Their Tablets
Influence Weekly #343 - How Lenovo Got 50+ ASMR Creators To Organically Showcase Their Tablets
How TikTok Shop Killed the MLM Model
Nii Ahene
June 28, 2024
Spotlight Stories
How Lenovo Got 50+ ASMR Creators To Organically Showcase Their Tablets
TikTok Overtakes X For News: Why 13% Of People Are Turning To The Video App
How Cetaphil Is Tapping “Dadfluencers” To Market Skincare To Me
How TikTok Shop Killed the MLM Model
Great Reads
Global technology company Lenovo collaborated with over 50 creators in the niche but passionate ASMR community on YouTube. Lenovo worked with talent agency MANA Group to have the ASMR stars organically integrate Lenovo's Tab P12 and Tab Extreme tablets into their relaxing, sensory-focused videos.
An open-ended creative brief enabled authentic product integrations, surpassing engagement goals with over 11 million views so far. The campaign seamlessly showcased Lenovo's tablets as companion devices for relaxation while bolstering brand affinity among ASMR fans.
A new report reveals TikTok has surpassed Twitter (X) as a news source, with 13% of people using the video platform weekly for news compared to 10% on Twitter. This marks a shift as news consumption fragments across multiple platforms, with video becoming an increasingly important format, especially for younger audiences.
However, TikTok users express high difficulty distinguishing trustworthy content, highlighting challenges for publishers as audiences may prioritize convenience over source authority.
At TikTok’s annual World event, the platform unveiled "Symphony," a new suite of AI-powered ad solutions aimed at streamlining content creation for brands and influencers. This initiative includes forming the Symphony Collective, an advisory board integrating leaders from notable brands like Mondelez, American Eagle, Wendy’s, NBA, and agencies such as OMD, VaynerMedia, and TBWA Chiat.
The Symphony suite offers tools like Digital Avatars and AI Dubbing to enhance global reach and personalization. Research from TikTok indicates a 37% rise in purchase intent and a 38% increase in brand favorability for ads tailored to its format, showcasing Symphony’s potential to revolutionize AI-driven marketing. Influencers, including O’Neil Thomas, express enthusiasm about leveraging these tools for expanded global reach and revenue growth, emphasizing the suite’s capability to foster authentic brand-creator collaborations.
Campaign Insights
MGM Resorts' sports betting arm BetMGM has partnered with popular slot influencer Brian Christopher, known for his YouTube channels with 1.8 million subscribers. BetMGM will showcase Christopher in livestreams across social media featuring its online casino platforms and future marketing campaigns.
The deal focuses on real money gaming while also highlighting responsible gambling tools. With previous partnerships with the Plaza hotel-casino and slot manufacturer Gaming Arts, this further expands Christopher's presence in promoting slots and online casinos to his large fanbase.
Drugstore skincare brand Cetaphil is pursuing a new influencer marketing strategy to reach male consumers interested in skincare routines. The "Made for Phil" campaign features humorous videos and unconventional product packaging aimed at appealing to traditionally masculine interests. A key part involves partnering with over 100 male influencers, including "dadfluencers" who create family-focused content. Cetaphil mailed these creators custom "Ceta Six Pack" packages designed to look like six-packs of beer. The brand noticed a spike in interest from men after an NFL player enthusiastically endorsed Cetaphil products.
The marketing push comes as dermatologists report an "unprecedented number" of men seeking skincare advice. In addition to the influencer collaborations, Cetaphil released videos depicting men using Cetaphil bottles on a grill. The campaign aims to make skincare appealing to stereotypically masculine scenarios while positioning the brand for the growing male skincare market.
Johnsonville is boosting positive content on social media through collaborations with celebrities, influencers, and brands to drive social media algorithms to serve "more outreach and less outrage."
The sausage company's "Keep the Internet Juicy" campaign aims to amplify stories of human kindness online, informed by research showing most consumers want less negativity on social platforms. The effort ties into a broader marketing push and includes advertising in major publications like the New York Times.
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) has announced it will grant press credentials to social media influencers for the first time at its 2024 convention in Chicago. This unprecedented move aims to engage with online creators, including local voices, to adapt to changing media consumption habits, particularly among younger voters who primarily get information from social media platforms.
While seen as a strategic decision in a fragmented media landscape by some experts, others view it as an act of desperation by the DNC to reach a skeptical younger generation that holds unfavorable views of President Biden.
YouTube and the U.S. State Department launched the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, appointing 12 diverse American musicians as Global Music Ambassadors. The program leverages music's universal appeal to foster international understanding and peace. It includes established and emerging artists across genres like rap, country, jazz, and opera.
YouTube will amplify the ambassadors' voices and activities, investing in micro-grants, using music for language learning, supporting creative economies, and promoting unity through global events. The ambassadors aim to use music to connect cultures and inspire positive change.
LinkedIn brought prominent business-to-business (B2B) influencers to the Cannes Lions Festival for the first time, covering expenses for some to attend. The goal was to "democratize" the expensive festival and highlight LinkedIn as a knowledge marketplace for professional educational content.
Influencers collaborated with LinkedIn to create videos and share insights throughout the event. The platform also hosted activations and premiered a film exploring B2B marketing history. This reinforces LinkedIn's efforts to be seen as more than just a jobs platform.
Juventus, the iconic Italian soccer club, has launched the Juventus Creator Lab, a first-of-its-kind facility where digital creators collaborate with the club's communications team to enhance media reach, engagement, and storytelling. This strategic move aims to cater to the evolving preferences of younger fans who value content beyond match footage.
The lab enables Juventus to strike partnerships with influencers and generate branded content, ultimately monetizing their intellectual property rights. By leveraging the digital space, Juventus seeks to establish a revenue stream independent of on-field performance, aligning with the shift from broadcast to digital viewership in Serie A.
The BBC is broadening efforts to discover emerging digital creators by expanding its Creator in Residence initiative. The broadcaster's commercial arm BBC Studios is moving its TalentWorks division under its Global Digital Brands team. As part of the restructuring, the paid residency program will now offer three 6-month positions annually for up to 6 creators to develop projects affiliated with BBC's major digital brands like Top Gear and Doctor Who.
Residents gain training while embedded with BBC production teams or invested independent companies. The investment signals BBC Studios' aim to better connect with younger audiences consuming content online and through social platforms. The expanded program provides an avenue for digital-native voices to help shape narratives around BBC's globally recognized branded content as it prioritizes engaging the next generation of media consumers.
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Interesting People
YouTuber Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson is expanding his creator empire, according to newly revealed court documents from his ongoing lawsuit with Virtual Dining Concepts. The filings show plans for a new beverage company, "Beast Beverages," and a mobile game set to launch in 2025. The beverage venture will compete in the influencer-driven market currently dominated by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI's Prime Hydration, which outsold Gatorade at Walmart in March 2024.
Donaldson's mobile game aims to monetize through ads and in-app purchases, leveraging his extensive fanbase. This follows a successful rebrand and formula improvement of his Feastables snack company earlier this year. These details emerged amidst his legal battle over alleged poor food quality with Virtual Dining Concepts, which managed his MrBeast Burger brand. This expansion highlights Donaldson's ongoing efforts to diversify his brand and capitalize on his massive following.
YouTube stars Rhett and Link are expanding ad opportunities for brands beyond sponsor reads on their videos. Their media company Mythical hired its first director of brand partnerships to integrate brands into long-form content across platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and connected TV.
Mythical sees a shift with advertisers viewing creator content more like traditional TV with product integrations rather than just ad reads. Under 5% of Mythical's videos currently have brand integrations, indicating untapped potential. The new hire will pursue multi-platform campaign deals spanning Mythical's videos, podcasts, FAST channels, website and social media.
The creator economy is rapidly evolving, with platforms like Influencers.club aiming to bridge the gap between brands and content creators. Led by CEO Nikola Sokolov, the North Macedonia-based startup leverages comprehensive data analytics to facilitate more strategic creator partnerships. Influencers.club provides brands with insights into creators' business models, revenue streams, and audience engagement beyond just follower counts.
Sokolov envisions a future where content creation becomes ubiquitous, necessitating better education for creators to transform their talent into viable businesses. At VidCon 2024, he aims to share strategies for effective creator acquisition, emphasizing personalized approaches over traditional B2B pitching. As the industry matures, Influencers.club exemplifies the innovative solutions emerging to support the changing dynamics of creator-brand collaboration.
Korea's top social media influencers offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of fame, business, and personal expression. With massive followings, they've turned digital domains into empires, captivating millions with authenticity and entrepreneurial ventures.
Figures like Jennie Kim, Irene Kim, and Pony have harnessed platforms to launch successful brands, embodying a new era of celebrity shaped by personal connection, innovation, and the ability to resonate with global audiences through relatable content. While facing pressures, their influence continues growing, redefining celebrity in the digital age.
A decade into the creator economy, entrepreneur James Creech has built Creator Economy Jobs - a specialized job board connecting qualified candidates with career opportunities at businesses focused on creators, influencers and the broader ecosystem. Identifying an underserved need, Creech launched the "premier job board" to facilitate efficient hiring in an industry with unique roles like talent management and creator partnerships.
The venture helps creators and companies find the right operational support as more influencers build their own media brands and businesses. Creech is driven by enabling others to earn a living doing what they love in this rapidly evolving space.
Studio71 has secured the hit podcast "The Really Good Podcast" hosted by rising TikTok star Bobbi Althoff, aiming to capitalize on her unique deadpan humor interview style. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube are rolling out tools to boost engagement, safety and monetization for creators. Research also reveals insights into effective influencer marketing strategies and the impact of creators on consumer behavior.
Industry News
The Federal Trade Commission has escalated its battle with TikTok over potential child privacy violations. The FTC referred a complaint against the popular app and its parent ByteDance to the Justice Department, an unusual move signaling serious concerns. Evidence suggests TikTok may have broken laws governing underage users' data collection and privacy safeguards.
Rather than seek a settlement, the FTC voted handing its findings to the Justice Department was in the public interest, implying TikTok either violated rules or is about to. TikTok denied allegations it calls inaccurate, saying it cooperated for over a year addressing prior issues. This referral is separate from national security fears over potential Chinese government access to American user data. TikTok also challenges a new U.S. law requiring its Chinese owners sell or face a ban.
HeyGen, an AI video generation platform, announced a $60 million Series A funding round led by Benchmark, valuing the company over $500 million. HeyGen's technology enables businesses to create, localize, and personalize videos without cameras, cast, or crew, addressing high production costs.
Key features include AI voice and lip sync for 175 languages and regional dialects. With over 40,000 paying customers globally, including McDonald's, HeyGen plans to enhance features like Avatar Video, Video Translation, and Personalized Video while investing in Enterprise Security, AI Ethics, and Trust & Safety.
Instagram continues expanding its suite of privacy tools with a new feature allowing users to live stream exclusively to their curated "Close Friends" list. This intimate broadcasting option aligns with the platform's emphasis on more personal engagement modes, giving creators control over sharing content with just their inner circle without broader public judgment or interactions.
LTK launched a new feature called LTK DM that allows creators to convert Instagram comments into direct shopping links. When a follower comments "Shop" on a creator's Instagram post, they automatically receive a direct message with a link to the creator's LTK page featuring recommended products from that post. LTK reports this tool can boost creator earnings by up to 60% by streamlining the shopping experience for followers. The feature integrates with LTK's creator app and is part of their suite of free tools aimed at maximizing earnings for creators on their platform.
Registration Required
The New York Times is planning to move most of its podcast content behind a paywall, signaling a shift in the podcast industry's business model. The publisher aims to limit free access to "The Daily" and make new episodes of "Serial" exclusive to subscribers for an initial period. This move is part of a broader strategy to generate more revenue from podcasts and integrate them into the Times' subscription-based offerings.
The decision comes as podcast advertising growth has slowed, with U.S. revenue increasing only 5% to $1.9 billion in 2023. The Times, which has heavily invested in audio content, including the launch of its Times Audio app, is looking to leverage its popular podcasts to drive subscriptions.
Influencers and brand founders are increasingly using Instagram's private broadcast channels to share more candid content and solicit customer feedback. These one-sided group chats offer a deeper connection with devoted followers, serving as a focus group for immediate reactions. Broadcast channels cater to consumers' desire for transparency and behind-the-scenes access while allowing creators to communicate directly with their most loyal fans and customers. As two-way communication evolves on the feature, it represents a powerful marketing tool for the creator economy.
Political campaigns are increasingly utilizing "clippers" to capture and disseminate viral video clips, often taken out of context, to shape narratives and amplify gaffes. Both Republican and Democratic organizations employ professional teams monitoring media for moments to edit into sharable snippets, amassing millions of views on social platforms.
While raising concerns over distortion, this practice forces candidates to carefully watch their words as a new frontier in the battle for controlling political discourse emerges.
The creator economy on TikTok Shop is disrupting the multi-level marketing (MLM) business model. Savvy creators can now earn commissions by recommending products, bypassing the peer-to-peer networks MLMs relied on. This shift, combined with changing consumer preferences, has destabilized major beauty MLM brands like Rodan + Fields and Beautycounter.
Meanwhile, TikTok creators' authentic product reviews are outperforming brand and influencer content, signaling a power shift as they leverage trustworthiness with viewers to drive sales. Beauty brands must adapt to this creator-driven model on TikTok Shop to stay competitive.