Reddit might call itself the front page of the internet, but for a while it was more like the web’s Wild West — a lawless place with no protection for brands. Over the past year, the platform has worked to improve its reputation by cozying up to marketers with new tools and safeguards. Its latest offering? A free certificate course to help brands take advantage of expanding marketing opportunities and craft creative content that resonates with Reddit’s sometimes enigmatic audience. With new business-focused features, Reddit and other social up-and-comers are hoping to take advantage of a shifting social landscape and woo brands … and their budgets.
And it looks like it’s working. While X’s user base has been steadily declining (down 13% since Elon’s hostile takeover last year) other platforms have beenpicking up the slack. Reddit now boasts 70 million daily active users, a 23% jump from the previous year. Threads has settled in at 33 million daily users, and Bluesky recently hit 2 million users. As you plan your marketing mix for next year, it might be time to move on from the old social standbys (Facebook-Instagram-Twitter). Instead, pay attention to where your audience is actually spending time (even if it's the r/catsinbussinessattire subreddit) and prioritize accordingly.
TL;DR: Reddit is hoping new marketing tools will draw brands to the platform. While planning for next year, consider how Reddit and other emerging platforms fit in your social mix.
Is This the Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?
Where can you catch a skeleton dance party in your living room then head to your backyard and get lost in a maze? With augmented reality, that’s just your average day on TikTok.
Earlier this year, TikTok opened the doors to its filter creation platform, Effect House, for all users — including businesses. Now, it wants to help brands take advantage of the growing popularity of AR effects with Open House, a virtual event that will teach marketers how to use the platform’s augmented reality tools. The one-day conference’s brand track features chats with creators, sneak peeks at in-the-works features, and more.
TikTok’s emphasis on AR highlights the tech’s increasing pervasiveness among consumers and businesses. While those of us who live on social media use TikTok effects to join in on the latest trends, brands are turning to AR to let customers (virtually) test products, create immersive demonstrations at online events or trade shows, and enhance design capabilities. Whether you’re using TikTok’s newly available Effect House platform or other design software, consider how augmented reality can level up your marketing strategy and bring to life new creative possibilities for your brand.
TL;DR: TikTok is hosting an AR how-to event for creators and brands, highlighting the growing importance of AR in content creation.
WHAT LIT US UP
🎶 Giant Candle in the Wind 🎶
Bath & Body Works reminded us to relax last week … in a big way.
The company unveiled a 10-foot-tall Tis The Season* candle in New York City's Herald Square as a (large) part of Come Back to Your Senses, a campaign that encourages customers to breathe, reconnect with themselves, and let go of the stresses of daily life. The installation appeared on November 30, just as the holiday shopping rush kicked off.
Through this illuminating campaign, Bath & Body Works found a creative way to interrupt the hustle and bustle of the season. A substantial installation in such a high-traffic area was an effective way to grab attention, and a QR code offered easy access to the website to learn more. Bath & Body Works rounded out the campaign with other digital elements, like YouTube videos showing luxurious, fragrant places to breathe in and breathe out the stresses of work emails and rush hour.
Ultimately, Come Back to Your Senses encourages personal well-being and inspires customers to find new ways to self-regulate and de-stress with Bath & Body Works’ calming fragrances. With its eye (and nose)-catching installation, the brand found a major opportunity to get people to stop and smell the candles. This behemoth 3-wick is a reminder for all brands to look for the bigger picture (no pun intended) when building campaigns.
TL;DR: Bath & Body Works’ pop-up 10-foot-tall candle played a giant role in its latest campaign, focused on personal well-being, de-stressing, and the calming powers of fragrance.
* In case you were wondering (we certainly were), the candle smells of: "fruity, woodsy, and spiced — the spirit of the season."
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