Here’s what you need to know this week:


  1. The new Facebooks: the trend towards a closed social media

    SAN FRANCISCO: Social media is showing a trend towards smaller walled gardens, especially among young people, who appear to be seeking smaller platforms specific to their colleges, turning Facebook’s original strategy to find new advantages.

    Tinder has unveiled a version of its service that can ring-fence according to a specific US college community. Meanwhile, the group-chat Islands is on the up, expanding to colleges across the US. The platform has seen behaviours reminiscent of Facebook’s infancy.

  2. Insights from BrandZ: Perception gains

    Consumer perceptions are key when it comes to boosting brand value. Doreen Wang, Global Head of BrandZ at Kantar Millward Brown, explains how to convey a positive impression.

    New analysis demonstrates for the first time the powerful impact that perceptions of disruption and creativity can have, particularly when combined with great advertising.

  3. How six-second ads work for branding

    JERSEY CITY, NJ: Six-second television ads offer a concentrated branding opportunity for marketers, according to a study by Turner, the media company, and Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience, the research firm.

    New biometric research explores how six-seconds are used and where they are effective, relative to 15 or 30-second ads.

  4. Are influencers to be trusted?

    SYDNEY: Trust is crucial when using social media influencers, but advertisers continue to be tripped up by influencers’ previous activity and now face new challenges with the rise of computer-generated influencers.

    The Australian government pulled its A$600,000 of spending on social media stars featuring in a Health Department campaign because of earlier associations with less ethical brands. Elsewhere, the rise of CGI influencers begs the question whether the point of influencers – trust – is being lost.

  5. The vaping game heats up

    SAN FRANCISCO: Juul Labs, the vaping startup, has posted record sales of over $1.1bn and boasts 70% of the American e-cigarette market, but criticism isn’t far away; the response from authorities has been unsure and research findings have presented a complicated picture of the landscape.

    Juul’s popularity is driving a wildly successful business, but the sticking point is its alleged popularity among US teens. Many have never smoked, and critics accuse Juul of marketing to young people. Juul, in response, has questioned the effectiveness of its own marketing.

From WARC Data:

Media consumption in Europe falls to lowest level since 2012

Sourced from WARC