August 28, 2015
This week included tons of announcements from brands and social media companies! Check out my favorite trends from the Twitterverse:
- Unboxing is Unbelievable – The volume of YouTube unboxing videos has boomed in recent years. Many are still user-generated videos, but brands are starting to get in on the action. Disney and Star Wars: The Force Awakens are hosting an 18-hour unboxing marathon in 15 cities and 12 countries on September 3 in preparation for the unveiling of new toys on Force Friday (September 4). A Los Angeles Times article gives a rundown of the event, including live broadcasting on “Good Morning America.”
- Thinking Outside the Square – Instagram announced this week that users can now post in landscape and portrait formats. According to a reporter for The Verge, no longer will people struggle to capture the perfect Instagram photo!
- The Internet of Things Hits the Gym– A new service targeted at health clubs, GymGroups, includes hardware and gym-branded mobile apps. It combines social networking and the features of popular fitness watches into hardware that is attached to a workout center’s exercise equipment. GymGroups is setting the stage for a new segment of the industry – the connected gym.
- “Friends” Fans Get Swifty – Taylor Swift and Lisa Kudrow, Phoebe from “Friends,” played the song “Smelly Cat,”at the Staples Center in LA. Don’t get it? Take a trip back to the ‘90’s.
- Twitter Targets the Masses – Even though 95 percent of people in Twitter’s most important global markets are aware of Twitter, less than 30% of them actually use it. To grow its user base beyond youth and tech enthusiasts, Twitter will launch its first integrated marketing campaign, centered on an upcoming feature designed to curate tweets around live events. An Ad Age interview Twitter CFO Anthony Noto shares the details.
