07/07/22

Trend: RIP The Image, Long-Live Short Video

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that consumers phone usage has significantly upended content marketing. The shift from at-home screens to the always-on, in-your-pocket device has revolutionized the way brands can engage with their audiences.

Less polished, user-created content (UCC) and creator-driven marketing campaigns are the new media style du jour, and snackable, short-form video content is both reinventing the discovery element and closing the gap between scrolling and shopping.

TikTok is the birthplace of culture right now
In the three years since its 2019 launch, which while technically correct certainly feels somehow more recent, TikTok has made an indelible dent in the cultural zeitgeist. And whether one has the app or not, its influence is undeniable. While other platforms continue to copy its features, it is still valuable for brands to use TikTok as a “vibe check and cultural barometer.” WeAreSocial

Instagram tests moving every video to “Reels” format
In order to simplify the video experience on its app, Meta’s Instagram platform is testing replacing all video posts with the full-screen, vertical Reels format. As Instagram continues to compete with video-forward YouTube and TikTok, it remains unknown when, or even if, the company will roll the change out beyond the testing audience. Reels

YouTube leverages beauty origins for shoppable content and video
The original beauty influencer platform YouTube is turning to beauty as its “go-to category” for establishing competitive differentiation with its livestream capabilities and shoppable content offerings. The Alphabet-owned video platform debuted a new TikTok-esque shorts feature for last month’s YouTube Beauty Festival. Glossy

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