SOCIAL

LIKEMEDIA NEVER BEFORE: HOW BRANDS CAN NAVIGATE 2021 INTRO

“You don’t need us to tell you this year’s been like no other. It will have lasting implications on all our futures, and has played a key role. It’s never been more instrumental in keeping us in touch, entertained and able to buy what we need (or want) and as a result of consumer behaviour changes and ultrafast platform developments, the world of social media has exploded.

To say it’s a new world is wrong; it’s a new universe; comprising new cultures, new languages, and new players from political activists to gamers. With the wrong pilot you will crash and burn.

For brands, this can be daunting, but the temptation to either run blindly away from 2020 or to attempt some version of 2019’s business of usual must be avoided. Social will mean something very different to your target consumers next year, but it’s never been a more important channel with which to reach them.”

Danielle Smith, Managing Director, Communicator

SOCIAL EVOLUTIONS GAMING: THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTING & DISCONNECTING CHANGING ROLE OF INFLUENCERS ACTION AND INFORMATION RISE OF SOCIAL COMMERCE Social EVOLUTIONS The 87% of FACTS TIKTOK USERS think Reels is ‘basically the same’ but Social is constantly evolving, which can mean constantly that doesn’t mean it’s enough to make them switch contradicting itself. For example, you could say this has been a big year for sound-on content. Audio drives trends on TikTok, Image source : -social-chat voice notes launched on and Clubhouse, an audio- based discussion app, lets users spontaneously join voice chat rooms. It’s a sign of social becoming more creative and conversational.

But on the other hand, as a result of awareness driven by deaf and disabled social media users, closed captions have become more prevalent, appearing on influencer, brand and publisher posts. Social evolutions aren’t just about new features, but about how we use them: the social ecosystem thrives off its users.

That’s just as well, because what we’ve noticed this year is that new features aren’t always all that new. This year alone, Twitter and LinkedIn stole from Instagram who stole them from . Instagram created Reels to try and beat TikTok and Triller. And the list will go on well into 2021….

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The BrandLENS In So how do brands compete in a world where social is never the SHORT same from one day to the next? Reassuringly, the answer won’t change as fast: no one can be everything to everyone. Having a new and shiny TikTok campaign won’t drive success if your Social trends are never straightforward, and a strong audience is actually on the less shiny . Optimising for audience relationship is more important than being the first. platform, audience and content type is more important than being on-trend – so if that means creating content for which is by default sound-off, go for it. Channels and features show no signs of slowing, but a close relationship with consumers and influencers should always be your guiding light.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce GAMING: The new social media 2020 showed gaming to be a mainstream, community-led social channel, which engages 4 in 5 internet users globally and 92% of Gen Z and millennials. Gamers have constant opportunities to collaborate and socialise – from multi-player games aided by in-game voice chat, local play features for nearby friends, and a new mode on Fortnite this year which turns the game into a purely social space where players are free to The hang out. Gamers are responsible for building a new type of with its own rules and features. And luckily for brands, gamers are a huge FACTS captive audience, more likely to say they respond well to advertising than that they prefer to avoid it.

Imag e so urc e: Pe xe ls G o d i sa b le J a c o b INTERNET4in5 USERS globally play video games every month

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce In-game activations are a rich space for virtual gatherings, like Animal Crossing’s partnership with Global Pride or Travis Scott’s Fortnite gig, enabling participation in a whole new immersive experience. They also enable The brands to bypass adblockers set up by tech-savvy gamers by enhancing the experience rather than interrupting. FRONTRUNNERS

There’s strong potential for brands to call their audiences to action too. Hellmann’s used Animal Crossing to encourage users to donate spoiled turnips to the Hellmann’s island, for which the brand would donate real meals to charity Second Harvest – providing a new challenge for gamers as well as an opportunity to do some good. And as Senator Ocasio-Cortez (better known as AOC) found when she logged on to stream Among Us on Twitch, there are plenty opportunities in online gaming for people Image source : instagram.com/lucyandyak or brands to show their true selves and reach a brand new, young audience while they do so.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The In BrandLENS SHORT

Before stepping on board, brands need to find where their Gaming isn’t replacing social as we know it, but it’s a facet that demographics like to play. Are they Animal Crossing lovers brands can’t ignore in 2021, with captive young audiences creating or Rocket League fans? Then, it’s about finding evidence that their own networks, and a whole world of creative freedom. they’ll care that your brand is there. One of TikTok’s first forays into gaming was sponsoring the FIFA esports team Tundra – a move backed up by the fact that FIFA has over 3.3 billion views on TikTok. From there, it’s all about enhancing a gamer’s experience. In order to stand out and succeed brands must add value to a player’s passion. Focus on what helps the gamer get closer to what they actually want, set a new challenge, ira-unsplash e-vie elip and make it fun. : F ce ur so e ag Im

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Lockdown saw UK social media users spend 28% more time using social apps. On the one hand, we won’t forget the value of social networks in bringing us together after this year, and the communities built and bonds developed online this year will continue to thrive. But constant online news cycles, mental health considerations and the rise of ‘doomscrolling’ are provoking a change in attitudes to online connectedness, with digital detoxes and social declutters growing in popularity.

60% of While social is a lifeline for many who are isolated, we’re all too YOUNG PEOPLE aware of its detriment too, with 60% of young people feeling feeling social media negatively social media negatively impacts other areas of their lives. impacts other areas of their lives. Anyone creating digital content will need to be hyperaware of their audience’s willingness to mute, unfollow and block what doesn’t add positive value to their digital space. For brands, the difference between unfollowing and becoming a die-hard fan is often accountability: people are logging on to see how brands give back and take action on issues and topics important to them.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The FRONTRUNNERS It’s something the Boohoo Group has fallen fowl of, with Black Lives Matter posts feeling hollow, particularly when Micro communities and subcultures are what makes platforms like TikTok and Reddit what they are, and enable Online movement played a key role in followed by revelations of unsafe and non-COVID- users to find their people and their niche from anywhere in the world. With an easily curated feed, the question protestingsecure conditions police at brutality its factories. in Nigeria “what side of TikTok are you on?” is one with many answers that might include LGBT TikTok, frog TikTok, Cottage Core, Trump TikTok, and deep TikTok – just some of those YouTuber MacDoesIt ‘explored’ this year. On Reddit, communities organised by subreddits have their own rules and in-jokes and are self-moderated by members who keep content relevant and enjoyable. In terms of switching off, Digital Detox Day saw influencers Zoe Sugg and Jordan Stephens partner with LUSH to encourage people to take time off social and raise money for grassroots mental health charities.

16%of YOUNG PEOPLE feeling social media negatively impacts other areas of their lives. While LUSH has attracted controversy for some of its charity partnerships in the past, its previous work with mental health charities

and the donation it made from profits of the special ‘IRL’ bath bomb, Image source : Instagram @boohoo lent authenticity to its involvement here. It’s a tough line to tread, as brands need to be careful not to encourage detoxing one day, and bombard users with salesy messaging and potentially harmful content the next. Image source : TikTok @macdoesit

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The BrandLENS

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Image source : Karsten Winegeart - unsplash : Karsten Image source SHORT

There are plenty of joyful opportunities to connect online – but beware of switching off and make sure you’re adding real positive value. We already see fashion and beauty brands doing this well by tapping into the existing thriving communities and creating their own – like Real Glow Gang’s dedicated channel celebrating diverse beauty. But with subcultures on the rise, it will take dedicated and confident brands to successfully delve into the weird and wonderful in 2021. The key will be doing the groundwork that makes people believe you belong. Individuals are, rightly, protective of their online , so brands will need to prove they have a real reason to care before they can join in.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce Changing role OF INFLUENCERS

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I coming year. The pandemic meant behaviour changes on social and a prioritisation of honesty and meaningful connections, with 40% of users saying they’re under less pressure to show off an unrealistic portrayal of their lives. And that affects what we want from influencers. 51% of people said theirmain motivator for following influencers was learning something new, closely followed by uplifting content or just plain old passing the time. If The you’re a brand looking to reach new audiences, a #ad with a pose and a product pic won’t cut it (if it ever did), and the influencers FACTS recognising this and giving their audiences true authentic value are pushing the industry into a place of new roles and new respect.

Imag e so urc e: Pe xe ls G o d i sa b le J a c o b of40% users saying they’re under less pressure to show off an unrealistic portrayal of their lives.

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1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce 2Million The DOWNLOADS setting the record for the most downloaded FRONTRUNNERS in a single quarter ever for a social app.

Nowhere is the influencer scene changing and growing more quickly than TikTok. The app surpassed 2 billion downloads this year, with 350 million of those coming in Q1 this year – the most successful quarter ever for any app. Its video editing features have put creativity and personality at its heart, The pandemic had a broad effect which means there’s arguably never been a platform where influencers are in varying and diversifying influencer more important for brands to succeed, as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty shrewdly content, and those coming out recognised. Fenty put together the first dedicated brand TikTok house, a group of content creators who moved in together in LA and spent their time creating strongest are influencers with a humour- and music-driven videos that subtly featured Fenty products. willingness to pivot and a deep connection with their audience that transcends their primary niche.

Alex Stead, a travel influencer suddenly unable to travel, started sharing video editing tutorials with fans, while many other influencers found their content creation skills in demand from brands unable to carry out studio shoots and embracing a more homegrown look for Image source : Instagram @Alex_stead their ad content. By bringing on board beauty influencers, Fenty Beauty harnessed the power of their content creation skills (and their millions-strong following) to develop content that felt relatable and engaging, and crucially did a brand job without the need for #ad. Image source : Tiktok @Fentybeauty

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The In BrandLENS SHORT Pigeonhole influencers at your peril: working While not all budgets stretch to resident influencers at an LA with the right ones provides brands with the mansion, thinking long-term is a key lesson for brands. We’d never audience relationships and content genius to pass up advice from Rihanna, and the principles of investing in long weather out another potentially rocky year. running relationships where influencers benefit from your platform as much as you benefit from theirs, and enabling content creators to exercise creative freedom are transferrable for any brand.

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1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce Shop Now #BLACKOUTTUESDAY

Action and INFORMATION The Platforms as well as individuals are feeling the need to adapt fast: FACTS with more information than ever shared on social, brands are under scrutiny for how they ensure it’s correct and not spreading hate. July’s From our different corners of the world, social united people in uprising this Stop Hate For Profit campaign recruitedmore than 1000 companies year. The Black Lives Matter movement saw protests captured, resources to stop advertising on Facebook due to its content policies which shared, and donations generated all via social. Social media as a tool in allowed the spread of misinformation and racism. And while there have protests is nothing new, but this year the wealth of resources and formats been notable advances, such as Twitter’s ‘public interest notices’ available (think Instagram infographics, TikTok explainers, Zoom webinars) on tweets (including President Trump’s) and WhatsApp’s limit on how meant a much more global sense of awareness and therefore action. many times messages can be forwarded, there’s undeniable pressure on platforms to do more. #BLACKOUT TUESDAY racked up 21M uses of the

This surge of action means we’re learning as we go. One memorable example is #BlackOutTuesday, racking up 21M uses of the hashtag. The gesture originated from the initiative #TheShowMustBePaused, started by two Black women in the music industry wanting to disrupt business as usual. But many criticised that it became empty or worse, harmful, as many people posted black squares with

#BlackLivesMatter, masking important resources from view on the Image source : www.stophateforprofit.org hashtag – showing just how key social had quickly become as a battleground in the movement.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The FRONTRUNNERS #ENDSARS Online movement played a key role in The rise of social activism allows key voices to reach a mass audience bypassing traditional power structures – particularly in a time when many of us distrust politicians and press. protesting police brutality in Nigeria David Attenborough’s debut IGTV was viewed by 18 million people, showing the appetite for Internationally, the #EndSARS online movement played educational campaigning content. This phenomenon is most helpful for those who don’t have long- a key role in protesting police brutality in Nigeria, raising running primetime television shows, like trans activist Shon Faye. In the wake of a court ruling global awareness and connecting activists and organisers effectively banning puberty blockers, Shon spoke out on Instagram Live explaining the seriousness on the ground. With 2.9m tweets on the topic, and of the situation, and highlighted Instagram as a way she could use her platform without having to heavily supported by the likes of Manchester United star go via the press, with views on the video reaching quadruple her number of followers. Odion Ighalo and boxer Anthony Joshua, the movement’s organisers are able to receive donations and update the 18Million public on the use of funds via social. PEOPLE Viewed Sir David Attenborough’s IGTV Debut.

Footballer Marcus Rashford used social to mobilise support behind his campaign for free school meals, amassing a million signatures on his petition, forcing two government U-turns, and garnering support from local businesses across the country who offered meals in October half term.

Image source : instagram.com/davidattenborough

Image source : @MarcusRashford Image source : @ighakojude

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The LENS w Brand icno em eth ar sh : # In e rc u o For brands, there’s a lot of trepidation as we s e g a m move into 2021 about saying the wrong thing, I SHORT but that doesn’t have to mean staying silent. The golden rule is don’t take up space you shouldn’t. Using your platforms to profile people with lived Social is a space for organising to be taken experience or expertise is not only safer from a seriously, but that doesn’t mean it’s mature brand standpoint but more productive in driving real change. yet: platforms, individuals and brands are still learning how to use their voices for good, and listening is just as important as talking right now.

Take inspiration from Share the Mic, an initiative which saw incredible Black women speak out using the social platforms of prominent White women, with Black stories and voices being amplified to a combined Instagram audience of over 175 million. Or TikTok’s Black History Month campaign which put black artists and creators to the forefront to tell their own stories and raise their profiles.

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Image source: sonnie-hiles-unsplash The In 2021 we’d argue that social – in particular channels like Instagram, Pinterest FACTS and TikTok– will become the optimum browsing environment. 80% of Gen Z research a brand before buying, and 54% want feedback from friends The events of 2020 have forced social platforms to become a serious – both things that can easily be done via a brand’s Instagram page and the shopping channel, but it is the benefits over traditional ecommerce that handy DM button. will keep it there in 2021. The new habits formed mean an expectation All this contributes to an environment that’s mutually beneficial for users, for social channels to be more than just a virtual store front but a full platforms and brands. Users get to shop without leaving the app they’ve purchase journey. opened, while platforms are able to keep them from going elsewhere, granting them more access to data which they can then pass on to brands.

70% of CONSUMERS Say they regularly search for products on Instagram and Facebook

Facebook and Instagram Shops provide opportunities for big and small businesses alike to show entire product catalogues to social users. TikTok shows signs of being hot on their heels with its Shopify integration. And YouTube and Pinterest have been quick to step into the gap left by bricks and mortar by rolling out AR try-on features particularly handy for beauty brands. Alongside shoppable pins have made this a big year for social commerce on Pinterest, with 83% of users having bought something off the platform.

Image source: aboutfb.com

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce Ethical clothing brand Lucy & Yak shoppable carousels make for an intuitive and easy shopping experience. The snappy opening line of their caption functions like an Instagram caption normally does, The but if users tap ‘see more’ they’ll see as much product info as they want to read. Carousel frames show a product in different colours on FRONTRUNNERS different sized models, with each frame’s shopping tag leading the user directly to the item they’ve just seen.

Image source : pastaevangelists.com If you are a FMCG brand, you could be forgiven for thinking this isn’t for you. But social’s right at the heart of the boom in food delivery and DIY kits for foodies, and it’s perfect because it’s so visually led. Pasta Evangelists’ channels boast an Italian aesthetic familiar to anyone who follows a travel or food influencer, using escapist visuals to tempt consumers into hitting that shopping tag.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce The BrandLENS

In Image source : Flaunter- unsplash Image source SHORT

Nile Bracelet Bag With AR try-on and shoppable galleries, £960 social is the ideal window shopping, and if you think your brand isn’t quite right for it, you could be wrong.

The keys to succeeding in 2021 will be ease and imagery. Platforms are making it easier than ever for brands to sell without leaving the app, which means users will expect the most friction-free experience possible. But this is still social, and your content has to lead, or they’ll never get to the shop in the first place.

1.Social evolutions 2.Gaming: the new social media 3.Connecting & disconnecting 4.Changing role of influencers 5.Action and information 6.Rise of social commerce Our ground rules FOR A NEW SOCIAL WORLD

1. Move with your audience, not just with trends 3. Give, don’t expect Today’s social media users are smart. If you’re putting With platforms deprioritising organic reach and users spend into the hottest new trend, it needs to be somewhere willing to block brands that don’t serve them, the only way your audience cares about and somewhere you can chat to survive is to have a generous approach to content. Think to them authentically. If your team aren’t gaming experts about what value you can give to your audience that will but your audience are, they’ll know. keep them hooked.

2. Platform-specific content has never been more important 4. Show who you are This sounds like a no-brainer, but while you may have got This year we’ve come to demand more from social, which away with recycling a Facebook post as a tweet, you’ll be means demanding more from brands too. Consumers want less successful turning a shopping carousel into a TikTok ad. to log on to see purpose and personality, so if that means Social’s evolving into an array of platforms with different USPs, showing your process or being a little less polished, you so your content needs to evolve too. might just see results. At Communicator, we use our unique Person Behind the Platform If you would like a complimentary social audit to see how you approach to determine a brands social value proposition to drive could benefit from our approach or even just impactful creative that adds true business value. We are a social a virtual chat please contact: first creative agency that works with the likes of Jack Daniel’s and [email protected] Heineken to create campaigns that get people talking.

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