The dynamic chatbot will soon gain a video feature, according to (recently reinstated) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. On Bill Gates' podcast, he revealed this element will be released with GPT-5, the next version of ChatGPT’s AI model. Altman told Gates that he intends GPT-5 to be "fully multimodal with speech, image, code, and video support,” catching up to other tools like Google’s Gemini.
Ideally, this tool could help users generate, analyze, or edit video footage. These capabilities would level up ChatGPT's ability to consume and process data, widen its knowledge library, and boost its contextual awareness. For marketers eager to share video content but who don’t have the resources, this could be a one-stop shop to create professional-looking brand videos or easily edit existing footage.
But new tools mean new vulnerabilities. OpenAI has already been racking up allegations about copyright infringement and data privacy violations. This feature could lead to more security breakdowns and online users being less likely to trust the origins of video content.
Just like with other types of AI-generated materials, it's crucial for marketers to approach ChatGPT's future video applications with caution. Even if you see an opportunity for AI video in your marketing strategy, hit the pause button and start by experimenting with this brand-new tool.
TL;DR: ChatGPT is working on a video feature that will expand its creative capabilities, but could increase the likelihood of unreliable content and security issues.
Is Influencer Marketing Going Overboard? 🚢
Whether you’re on WitchTok, BookTok, or catching the new wave of videos on CruiseTok, you’re likely also seeing a new form of influencer videos — the kind you don’t even realize are ads.
In December, Royal Caribbean launched a nine-month Ultimate World Cruise with over 2,000 passengers that led to an almost instant reality show-esque following on social media. And of course, influencers and brands saw the hype as a marketing opportunity.
Publisher Atria Books and TikTok creator Marc Sebastian teamed up to appeal to both CruiseTok and BookTok with a sponsored 18-day stay on the cruise. But instead of your typical sponsored content, they prioritized creativity over branding. The perceived oversaturation of ads and paid promotion on TikTok means brands need organic-looking content. So as long as brand awareness and “the book stuff is coming through,” Atria was happy to let Sebastian man the partnership.
Sebastian made the videos in his style — such as a very tense book club meeting with penguins. Despite sales remaining relatively unaffected so far, the impact on TikTok was immense and Atria deemed it a success: its TikTok following more than doubled and the tag #MarcReadsABook has nearly 9 million views. Other collaborations, like BookToker Ayman and Book of the Month’s paid partnerships, show similar results. Her paid posts carry the same style and view count as her regular content meaning her followers stay to watch.
So toss those traditional influencer marketing playbooks overboard and focus on the quality of posts. Audiences don’t mind consuming paid content if they feel a sincere effort behind it, so creativity and choosing a partner whose voice you can let shine through is key.
TL;DR: CruiseTok is the latest trend on TikTok that shows brand and influencer strategies are shifting to keep creativity at the forefront and ad-heavy content in the background.
2012 Is Back, Baby
Peplum tops. Bedazzled shrugs. Long-form content. While they may have peaked when many of us were in middle school, these trends are making a comeback.
Short, vertical video has been the name of the game in social content for a while now, pioneered by TikTok and copycatted by every social platform. But TikTok has been slowly increasing its video length — first 15 seconds, then a minute, then 10, and now 30 — indicating a consumer appetite for longer content. TikTok is slowly rolling out the 30-minute option to more users after early success on the Chinese version of the app (where you can usually look to preview upcoming features, like a potential in-app integration of generative search).
While short video is still the easiest way to grab your audience’s attention, long-form content gives you the ability to dive deeper into a topic, sharing in-depth thought leadership or educational material or telling a story that resonates more deeply with a viewer.
TL;DR:TikTok is upping its video upload limit to 30 minutes, indicating a consumer appetite for more long-form content.
(P.S. One more video trend we’re keeping an eye on? Horizontal video. For its upcoming iPhone, Apple is reportedly testing a new button that will make it easier to capture video horizontally. Maybe it’s time for a vlogging renaissance à la 2012?)
WHAT LIT US UP
Source: Slim Jim
Fast (Meat) & Furious
MISSING: A custom Nissan Z called Fast Meat. If found, please return to Slim Jim.
The meat snack brand designed Fast Meat, a car wrapped in red and yellow with Slim Jim-related detailing, as part of its ongoing partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Prior to its disappearance, the car made its way through Chicago and to L.A. for a video shoot. The WWE is, of course, known for its elaborate and dramatic stunts so fans assumed this was the latest idea — until Slim Jim issued a press release, asking people to contact the LAPD with any leads.
But instead of spinning out, Slim Jim’s team steered the theft in a smart marketing direction. They first took to social media encouraging followers to #FindFastMeat. Then when it seemed all hope was lost, they declared Fast Meat was gone for good. So they asked the Long Boi Gang (aka the Slim Jim fandom) to vote on the design and name for a new car. Though Fast Meat was found soon after, they didn’t look back and continued to push their new campaign. In the end, Speedy Meaty was the future of the campaign (and the name of the new car).
The near disaster worked out in Slim Jim’s favor and garnered more than 30,000 likes per post. Instead of mourning wasted marketing dollars, Slim Jim showed impressive flexibility in the face of uncertainty — and made for a much more interesting campaign. When a strategy doesn’t go as planned, staying positive and agile can turn into new marketing wins.
TL;DR: Slim Jim quickly recovered after someone stole its custom car and turned the mishap into a successful marketing play.