Marketing Dojo #42: Augmented Ads, Real Buzz 🕶️
Google's AR ad products, Funflation, "creative" marketing meme and more.
Hello, fellow marketer,
Welcome to the 42nd edition of the Marketing Dojo. Keeping atop the marketing wave can sometimes feel like a balancing act, but worry not! Through this newsletter, I share bite-sized morsels of the latest and greatest from the marketing realm.
Last week, I patiently waited in a virtual queue, all vying for Ed Sheeran's concert tickets. Though the rush wasn't quite the stampede that Taylor Swift's tickets witnessed, it did leave a noticeable dent in my wallet. Turns out, I'm not alone.
There's a burgeoning trend of people loosening their purse strings for experiences once more. We'll unravel this and more in today's newsletter.
On today's slate:
🕶️ Unveiling Google's Augmented Reality Ads
📈 A blockbuster Q3 rundown for big tech
🎈 Trend Watch: Funflation on the rise
🛍️ The two social media juggernauts steering the festive shopping season
✨ And a sprinkle of other marketing gems.
Before we delve deeper, I have a small favour: if you haven't subscribed yet, now's your chance! No spam, no fluff – just a weekly helping of marketing goodness landing in your inbox.
Now, without further ado, let's dive right in.
Digital Advertising Gets an Augmented Reality Update.
Have you ever experimented with different lipstick shades on the Sephora app using the "try-it-on" feature? Google's new AR Beauty Ads take a leaf out of this interactive playbook with its new augmented reality ad product.
The interactive ads feature virtual try-on experiences are made for lip, eye colour, foundation & hair colours. These interactive ads will grace mobile-specific channels, including the Shopping tab on Google.com, Search, and Google Images.
But this is merely Google dipping its toes into the vast categories that can benefit from augmented reality. While the current focus is on beauty products, the scope of AR ads is likely to broaden, making online advertising more immersive and personalized.
With AR Beauty Ads, online advertising got a tad more engaging, and who knows, maybe even more fun!
New Trend Alert: Funflation.
Amid rising inflation, job layoffs, and a spiralling economy, customers are understandably tightening their belts. Everywhere, we hear about people cutting back, downgrading, or becoming more cost-conscious.
Yet, amidst this frugality, a contrasting narrative unfolds. The high-ticket concerts of Beyonce and Taylor Swift are witnessing sold-out arenas, defying the logic of tightened purse strings.
This phenomenon is part of a trend called "Funflation," where individuals spend on "fun" experiences rather than just essential items. It's been notably visible through the summer of 2023 as people catch up on live entertainment and concerts missed during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The shift in consumer sentiment is palpable—experiences are being prized over products despite the gnawing inflationary pressures. So, what's the play for brands amidst this experiential spending spree? One way is by blending their products with immersive experiences, like what Lego and Nike have done with their in-store experiences.
Meme-Time: Is Marketing A Creative Profession?
It's a tale as old as time: marketing is a creative profession. I confess I have been a victim, too!
Marketers are often busy with the daily grind of stakeholder management, cycles of budgeting and re-budgeting, negotiations, project management, and crisis resolution.
This week's meme resonates with that internal sigh I experience whenever someone steps into the marketing arena, lured by the allure of "creativity".
From Pebble's Plunge to Dayyly's Dawn
As Elon Musk's reign over Twitter/X approaches its first anniversary amidst a whirlwind of chaos, rival platforms are finding the terrain tough to navigate. The first to shut down under the pressure among the plethora of Twitter lookalikes is Pebble/T2.
Billed as the kinder, gentler cousin of Twitter, Pebble/T2 garnered around $1.1 million in angel funding from tech heavyweights like Google VP Bradley Horowitz, Android co-founder Rich Miner, and former Wikipedia CEO Katherine Maher.
Despite its early promise and traction, the robust stickiness of Twitter/X, coupled with the emergence of formidable contenders like BlueSky & Threads, nudged Pebble/T2 off the stage. Farewell, Pebble.
But the social media sphere never sleeps. Stepping into the limelight is Dayyly, a burgeoning anti-Instagram platform championing an anti-filter, anti-vanity metrics ethos. Since its 2022 launch, Dayyly has amassed over 47,000 users across more than 100 countries, underscoring the appetite for a detour from the well-trodden social media paths.
Will Dayyly soar where BeReal stumbled? It's a coin toss in the unpredictable world of social media!
TikTok and Instagram are Rewriting the Holiday Retail Rulebook.
The busiest shopping season of the year is here! One thing's certain - social media's sway over holiday shopping is skyrocketing.
Gen Z is taking centre stage in the holiday shopping theatre, with 37% poised to outspend their last year's spree. Notably, 48% of the Gen Z respondents are eyeing social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram as their shopping aisles.
86% Of Gen Z shoppers admit to social media holding the reins of their buying decisions. They are tuning into peers and influencers over celebrities for endorsements.
The shift is clear: Young shoppers are stumbling upon new products in their social media feeds, bypassing the traditional routes of search engines or official brand websites.
For brands who want to thrive in this shopping season and several others, investing in a social media strategy which includes organic content, paid advertising & micro-influencer content is a no-brainer. No amount of SEO/SEM finesse or immersive website allure can substitute for the magnetic pull of social media.
Short Stuff:
TikTok allows 15-minute video uploads by select users (TikTok is going the YouTube way).
Snap’s user base has grown to 400 Mn users (Snap’s having a moment in 2023).
UK’s Online safety bill becomes a law (Big tech can experience bigger troubles soon).
That’s all for today’s edition of the Marketing Dojo. If you enjoyed this week’s edition or learned something new, please spread the word.
Once again, thank you for your time and attention. See you in your inbox next Wednesday.
Regards,
G
P.S.: It’s the spooky Halloween season, and SEMRush has hit the ball out of the park with its meme marketing. Click on the image below to head straight to the post.
Garima, you play some magic with your words. The witty commentary makes reading this newsletter all the more fun! Keep it up.