Weekly External Insights - 04.09.20
This week's news is celeb-tastic featuring: David Blaine, Bella Thorne, Khloe Kardashian, Perri Shakes-Drayton, Mark Zuckerberg, a virtual influencer called Imma and Bernard Matthews!
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Each week, Socially Powerful get together and share industry news and what is inspiring us from The World of Social Media, Advertising, Influencer Marketing, Gaming and more...
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BRAND DOING COOL THING -
1. IKEA turned a virtual influencer into a physical installation
Ikea’s Harajuku store in Tokyo was home to an installation starring a virtual person. The retail giant partnered with Imma, a virtual influencer, in order to explore the concept of “happiness at home.” Over three days, those passing by the first floor could peer into Imma’s living room, watching as she lounged on a couch and mindlessly browsed her phone. Via The Verge.
PLATFORM NEWS -
2. Instagram’s livestream shopping sees early beauty adopters
After a surge in Instagram livestreams since the start of Covid-19, shoppable capabilities have finally joined the live experience on the platform. Beauty influencer Nikita Dragun, attracted nearly 43,000 of her 8.3 million followers to a Live Shopping video, driving 33,000 product page impressions and 5,000 products were added to viewers’ shopping bags. Via Glossy.
COOL CONTENT -
3. David Blaine flies up to 4.7 miles on helium balloons in YouTube Live stunt
The Live Event was livestreamed on YouTube, which funded and produced the project, drew over 770,000 peak concurrent viewers, a record for a YouTube Originals live event. Watch a replay of captivating event here. Via Variety.
INDUSTRY NEWS -
4. A Thorne in the site: the Bella Thorne and OnlyFans controversy explained
Bella Thorne, the 22-year-old Disney star who once starred in Alvin and the Chipmunks, joined OnlyFans last week. But Sex workers blame the actor for policy changes the website made after she joined, including caps on tips and getting paid monthly instead of weekly. Via The Guardian.
BRAND DOING GOOD THING -
5. NIKE launches its first ever maternity line
After three years in the making, the sportswear giant is releasing Nike (M), its first collection for motherhood. To create the collection, designers at NIKE worked with mums and mums-to-be to really understand the changes that their bodies were undergoing, analysed 150,000 body scans and tested over 70 materials. Via Elle.
PLATFORM NEWS -
6. Facebook bans new political ads before US election as Zuckerberg warns of 'civil unrest'
Facebook says it will stop accepting political advertisements in the week before the US election, as its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg warned of "an increased risk of civil unrest across the country". Via Sky News.
INFLUENCER MARKETING NEWS -
7. Khloe Kardashian is giving away autographed, bedazzled bottles of Febreze
Khloe Kardashian is back with her bedazzled bottles of Febreze fabric spray and this time she’s offering her fans a chance to get their own, autographed bottle. Khloe surprised her fans back in February 2020 when she shared a sponsored post announcing that she “loved, loved, loved” the product. The bottles have an approximate retail value of $95.49 each. Via Celebrity Insider
AND FINALLY -
8. Turkey Twizzlers are making a healthier comeback to the UK!
Bernard Matthews announced that the corkscrew strips of meat will be returning to supermarket shelves, 15 years after they stopped making them due to a wave of negative publicity. In 2018, a Change.org petition attracted more than 27,700 signatures from people calling for them to be reintroduced into supermarkets. To mark the comeback, Bernard Matthews has even erected a three-metre statue of a giant Turkey Twizzler at the company’s HQ in Great Witchingham Hall, Norwich.
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Lloyd Williams, Head of Strategy @ Socially Powerful.