- TikTok's therapeutic value for teens
- Race for video supremacy heats up
- The art of reaching broader audiences
- Burger King's moldy move
- What we can learn from BTS's success in America
What
One thing you can always depend on, each month, is a new trend making waves on TikTok and reminding us just how creative this generation is in expressing themselves. One can easily assume that the platform is only about laughs and entertainment. But more recently, there has been an emerging subgenre of teens using TikTok as a springboard for serious conversations, including Islamophobia and pressure of LGBTQ+ teens coming out to their parents. Videos with the hashtag #CAMHS – referring to child and adolescent mental health services – have racked up 6.1 million total views, along with videos for #MentalHealth that have been watched more than 85.8 million times. The videos often still bear TikTok’s tongue-in-cheek feel, with a blend of funny and angry messages for viewers.
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Takeaway
Gen. Z likes to have fun, but they also want to know the world around them see’s their issues as seriously as they do. As we continue to test different ways that we show up on TikTok, it could be interesting to explore the right time and place to have some more of these meaningful conversations with our audience.
What
VSCO, the app equally known for the memes its users inspired as much as their actual product, is looking to establish itself as a viable video-editing tool. The company has acquired mobile editing app Rylo, which offers capabilities such as video stabilization and the option to create a perfectly framed clip from any section of a 360-degree shot, among other things with the idea that you can shoot in a care-free fashion and then compose your scene afterwards. At the same time, RTRO, which allows you to record video, cover it in retro filters, and seamlessly send it off to IG Stories or Snapchat, recently launched for iPhone and is being touted as the VSCO of video.
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Takeaway
There is an arms race brewing to democratize video editing for social platforms. As things continue to heat up, how can we lean into the breadth of tools that Adobe offers for social video creators, as they leverage them to compete against the many startups popping up who can’t offer much value beyond basic video editing features?
What
When we touch on the importance of brands thinking outside of their traditional verticals to stay fresh, brands with older legacies often come to mind. Sprite recently exemplified this with the release of their new Sprite Ginger Collection, as they collaborated with a young group of creators and developed a line of jewelry, art, clothing, and skateboard decks to build a creative orbit around the new beverage. This principle equally applies to emerging brands. FaZe Clan – one of the hottest collectives in Esports – is demonstrating this with the announcement of their new reality TV show, set to premiere on the newly formed streaming platform Quibi. The goal of the show is to find FaZe Clan’s next big star, and this is the first of its kind from an Esports entity.
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Takeaway
Sprite found a fresh way to introduce a new edition of a product that they have been selling for generations. Meanwhile, FaZe is reaching a very different type of gamer by stepping into uncharted territory. Both brands are avoiding the mistake of overserving the same audience. This is good evidence of the importance of our brand continuing to explore a wide range of partnerships, rooted in student passion points.
What
In recent years, Burger King has delivered its share of bold marketing campaigns that have gotten people talking, but this one feels different. Their new global Moldy Burger campaign breaks so many seemingly obvious rules of food advertising. It’s left many to think, “what the hell were they thinking?” While this may have seemed like a wildly irresponsible move, it was actually very carefully crafted and tuned for a very specific purpose. While BK recognizes that their typical consumer isn’t a very health conscious one, their goal was to get new people to reconsider the brand. They had also pretested the ads in addition to running them alongside their other traditional ads, so these weren’t the only Whoppers people were being exposed to.
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Takeaway
As the debate around the validity of this approach continues (looking forward to seeing those sales numbers!), the one thing this campaign proves, against all else, is that if you want people to talk about your brand, you need to take bold risks. What are some bold, calculated risks that we can take to get everyone talking about Adobe?
“BTS blurs the line between [being a pop idol] and a person, and that’s a big difference for fans.”
What
If you still haven’t heard of BTS (The Bangtan Boys) - the juggernaut boy band from Korea - you’re likely a party of one. They are the biggest product of South Korea’s K-Pop hit-making machine - bringing in $4.65 billion to the Korean economy in 2019 and accounting for 0.3% of the country’s GDP. But the true catalyst behind their success has been their unique, down-to-earth brand of authenticity - something new from traditionally rigid K-Pop superstars who don’t typically demonstrate much vulnerability to fans. American fans have catapulted them to International stardom because they’re drawn to their genuine nature and the substance/depth of their lyrics.
"The relationship is like a parent giving unconditional love and support to their child, the band.” -David Kim, a YouTuber who analyzes Korean culture and K-pop, told the Washington Post.
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Takeaway
BTS is a unique case study of how depth begets breadth with American teens today. They were not an overnight success, but what carried them to significantly greater notoriety than any of their predecessors is they made themselves approachable. They sing and engage with fans in more vulnerable ways. While Adobe continues to find ways to engage with influencers our audience looks up to, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s the depth of their content that connects emotionally.