ICYMI: Instagram lets creators make AI bots
But scrapped its celebrity chatbots
Remember last week’s ICYMI newsletter that listed a bunch of Reddit green flags? It led to several marketing pros proclaiming their love for the platform and the CEO of a social-centric marketing agency sharing this organic campaign they pulled off with the help of Redditors for Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries.
And shout out to the influencers, marketers and journalists I spoke with this week at UCLA as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program for professional and cultural exchanges.
⏰ 1-SECOND SUMMARY
Instagram scrapped its celebrity chatbots and gave creators the keys to AI characters instead
The Kids Online Safety Act passed the Senate this week, limiting how advertisers interact with children online
TikTok released a SMB playbook for CPG brands that includes creative tips
Twitch redesigned their mobile app to launch with a FYP-style feed of live streams
Case Study: This brand used AI driven insights to increase Instagram engagement*
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman hit the YouTube circuit to promote Deadpool & Wolverine
💻 ROADMAP
📲 Meta Updates
Instagram announced creators can now build AI extensions of themselves to answer common DM questions and provide Story replies.
It’s part of Meta’s AI Studio launch (US only for now) starting with Creator AI and AI Characters.
Creators can turn auto-replies on and off through the Professional Dashboard and decide who their AI replies to. Plus Meta says responses from creator AIs are clearly labeled to provide full transparency.
And it’s not just creators. Anyone can build an AI character for utility, fun or support based on their interests. Meta’s examples include AI bots that provide restaurant recommendations, positive affirmations, photography tips, fashion credits and more.
Note: Brands still need to go through Meta’s business tools.
My Take: If you’re already using a DM automation service like ManyChat, this is similar. The benefits of AI Studio are it’s free, seems relatively easy to set up — no coding required — and integrates within the Meta universe.
Some people are concerned that the AI will be abused and audiences might not realize they’re chatting with an AI version of the creator. It’s possible. But I’ve seen the labeling and it’s pretty clear. Plus, transparency always benefits influencers. So, as long as responses continue to be clearly labeled I don’t think audiences will be surprised or feel tricked by automated messages — a service which already exists.
Creators can create an AI directly in the Instagram app or on the AI Studio site.
Meta released a Holiday Performance Playbook for advertisers. It includes some creative content tips.
Instagram is testing a content filter that shows Reels with Notes from your friends.
📲 TikTok Updates
TikTok released a SMB playbook for CPG brands that includes creative tips.
TikTok published a holiday TikTok Trends Digest: Shopping Season Glimmers.
📲 Snapchat Updates
Snapchat added new AR experiences for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
📲 Twitch Updates
Twitch redesigned their mobile app to launch with a FYP-style feed of live streams based on personalized recommendations.
🗂️ CASE STUDY
AI As an Unbiased Decision Maker
Made by Nacho, celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s cat food brand, was facing a familiar challenge: The brand’s engagement rate on Instagram was 0.78% but the community manager felt like they could do better.
So, they turned to AI for answers.
Dash Hudson’s Vision AI tool revealed a surprising audience preference: orange – the brand’s (and Nacho’s) signature color – outperformed the dark purple they were using in the Feed.
It’s a relatively subtle visual change but after they started to change the content color cues, their engagement rate rose to 2.2%.
As a data geek always on the lookout for actionable insights, Dash Hudson’s “Social Media Trends Report” delivers with platform benchmarks and real world case studies, like Made by Nacho’s.
The report is full of useful insights you can use to demonstrate to your team how the future of marketing is the convergence of AI, creators and entertainment-focused content.
*sponsored
👆🏻 CLICK THRU
👟 Nike: An Epic Saga of Value Destruction
We’re all reading this LinkedIn post, right?! A former senior brand director at Nike wrote a scathing takedown of leadership. He documented the recent shift from long-term brand marketing to performance marketing and programmatic advertising that sacrificed creativity for data driven predictions. I don’t know enough about the business to sound off but it’s a fascinating recap of everything that went wrong, leading to missed revenue goals, a 20% drop in shares last quarter, the biggest daily decline on record, and some seriously pissed off former employees.
🧒🏽 🧑🏻🦰 What advertisers need to know about the Kids Online Safety Act
The Senate passed two bills that could affect how advertisers interact with children online, if they become law. COPPA 2.0 would effectively ban targeted advertising and collecting personal information on anyone under the age of 17. While KOSA would require tech companies to take “reasonable measures” to mitigate harms against minors. There is some valid controversy over what constitutes harmful content. But, if thoughtfully executed, could be helpful legislation given the mental health crisis among teens.
🎤 Senate lawmakers turn to online content creators to push legislation
Lawmakers are acknowledging where people get their news. As such, Senate Democrats are trying to build relationships with creators to push their messaging, instead of relying on traditional media.
The last time I visited the White House I said it was conceivable that at some point in the future there would be members of the White House press corps that publish exclusively to YouTube or Instagram or some as of yet unknown channel. It feels like that reality is getting closer everyday.
🏐 NBC bets on social media influencers to draw Gen Z to the Games
It’s been interesting to watch coverage of the 27 influencers NBC brought to the Olympics. The “Paris Creator Collective” is made up of athletes, food, fashion and lifestyle creators who could bring Gen Z eyeballs to the summer games. But it’s more of an integrated effort (as every good campaign should be). NBC is combining its social efforts with traditional broadcast efforts. They’re also leaning on traditional celebrities. The most prominent being Snoop Dogg — everybody’s favorite uncle — who has been all over Paris as part of NBC’s coverage. And it seems to be working. Ratings for the opening weekend were up 79 percent over the same period for the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
🪩 🏢 🚕 EVENTS
There are some new additions to the ICYMI Events Database this week (it’s free to all subscribers):
𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝, hosted by marketer Sara Wilson on Thursday, August 8th at 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT - RSVP (online)
AI and Creators: Shaping the Next Era of Social Marketing, hosted by Dash Hudson’s CMO Kate Kenner Archibald, and Social Media Expert, Matt Navarra, on Wednesday, August 7 at 10am PT - RSVP (online)
Creator Upfronts, hosted by Forbes and Walmart bringing together select brands and creators on October 28-29 in Los Angeles - Apply
📊 DATA DROP
People who follow influencers shop earlier than the rest of us: 70% of LTK shoppers plan to start their holiday shopping by late September.
In comparison, 38% of the general population plans to start shopping by late September.
👀 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Meta scraps celebrity AI chatbots that fell flat with users -The Information
Snap joined a parade of internet companies to warn digital advertising growth was cooling -The Information
7 Influencer marketing trends to watch in the second half of 2024 -AdAge
4 TikTok topics trending among Gen Z and what they mean for marketers -eMarketer
MatPat, the first big YouTuber to successfully exit his company, is lobbying for creators on Capitol Hill -TechCrunch
Can memes elect Harris? These Gen Z activists think so -CNN
PR and advertising firm Publicis Groupe acquires influencer-marketing giant Influential -Marketing Dive
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman hit the YouTube circuit to promote Deadpool & Wolverine, including Hot Ones, Chicken Shop Date and more -LinkedIn
Thanks for reading!