Let's wrap up this year in a bundle of marketing news. From Meta’s Threads being launched in Iceland, over to IKEA poking fun of Balenciaga, to words of the year, enjoy all of it and more here.
News
1.
The biggest news this month is also the hottest, as it happened just a few days ago while I was typing this newsletter. Meta’s Twitter-like app Threads was launched in Iceland and in most of Europe. Being integrated to Instagram, its users received an invitation to join and can finally explore what this social media offers.
Earlier this year, X (former Twitter) revealed it had 123.4 thousand monthly users in Iceland. It will be interesting to see how this number changes after the launch of Threads and if the new medium will impress or disappoint.
Oh, if you are on it already, hit the follow button to us at Hnappurinn..
2.
While using Youtube on your TV’s, you might have noticed a new updated countdown timer while the ads are on. This is not only a graphic change. It comes with an update on how Youtube paces ad breaks on televisions. From now on, you will see ads on TV less frequently, but they will also last longer. Another change is that there will be ads while watching Shorts on TV too. Ultimately, this gives more options to the advertisers to consider specific lengths and formats for their creative content. Notably for 30 second ads which now will be non-skippable.
3.
This one is quite amusing. Seven years ago, the fashion superhouse Balenciaga famously ripped IKEA’s iconic blue bag FRAKTA, and it was selling it for over 2.000 USD. Now, IKEA finally got its vengeance, making fun of Balenciaga’s latest collection for men, in which a male skirt looks just like a beige towel. IKEA’s creative agency promptly organised a photo shoot in one of the stores and promoted a unique “towel skirt” VINARN, for just 10 bucks, to a lot of laughs across social media.
4.
We live in times where the typical broadcast TV is becoming weaker, both in cross-generational reach and in its exclusivity. It seems its star is fading, with advertisers having a wider and more cost effective range of media to use. So is TV advertising still worth it? Tough question, though Grace Kite gives a concise and comprehensive answer for MarketingWeek that helps us understand this complicating and still evolving matter.
5.
The woke advertising is going through evaluation. Finally! Long awaited and needed discussion about purpose in marketing is reaching the boards and investors, who finally understand that not all the brands are a good fit to sell their message wrapped in a global issue coat. This wonderfully written article in Harvard Business Review is best at understanding this topic. Support your knowledge with two follow up reads from the MarketingWeek and The Drum, sem geta hjálpað þér að skilja snúninginn á tilgangs-markaðssetningu, með skýru dæmi tengdu hinu gríðarstóra fyrirtæki, Unilever.
Eye Candy: Lalo
Being a person who has a deep interest in puppetry and imagination related to material, I actually never obsessed over any design of toys or furniture created for children. Until now. Browsing gifts for this year's Christmas, I stumbled on the company Lalo. Lalo stands for Love All Little Ones and it sells all kinds of kids stuff, some standing out more than others, but what really caught my attention are their playboxes for one and two year olds. Each box is designed to stimulate the development of a child in the earliest stages of development, both physical and mental. What I love about it is that it doesn’t put the “cute” to the front, but focuses on the practical aspect instead, while still looking beautiful and timeless. You can even subscribe to get all the boxes, one at a time, once your newborn reaches an appropriate age for it. So smart. There goes my credit card. Cha-ching!
Number Of The Month: 36 %
In the US, Google is going through an antitrust trial. In this landmark case, Google is accused of unlawful control over search advertising, undermining competition. During the trial, a key witness accidentally disclosed confidential information, according to which Google pays Apple 36 % of its search ads revenue acquired through Safari browser installed on Mac computers. This equals about 18 billion USD paid for being a default browser. Google argues that its superiority as a search engine is attributed to superior quality rather than engaging in anti-competitive practices. Sure, yet if Google genuinely reigns as the best, why does it invest billions in sustaining default status? You can learn all about this case here..
Trend Of The Month: Word Of The Month
How to define this ending year in one word? The Brits are a bit ahead of the game as they have already revealed their findings in which words we used more this year than in any other, or in a more subjective way - which word was buzzing in the past twelve months, in relation to what was going on around us.
According to the Oxford Dictionary team, the word of the year is “rizz”. This reflects the desire of many to present themselves in the best light possible, showcasing their charisma, or as in Gen-Z language, rizz. The Cambridge Dictionary saw a significant increase in usage of the word “hallucinate” . And finally, according to Meriam-Webster, the award goes to the word “authentic” (ekta). Á meðan við bíðum eftir niðurstöðu íslenskufræðinganna skulum við rifja upp orð síðast árs: “innrás“. Svo mikið 2022. Eða hvað?
Out Of The Box: Kurzgesagt
Would you like to learn about the whole history of our planet in just one hour? Now you can and the process is quite trippy. Just play this video and in an hour you will see, in an animated form, how the planet came about, from its formation until today. Sit back, relax and sink in and if you feel like wanting more, check the whole Kurzgezagt channel. You might learn a lot - in a nutshell.
And that’s a wrap! Let me wish you the cosiest and most wonderful holidays ahead, filled with all the things that make you happy – whether it's skata (no judgement from afar), smoked hams, ptarmigans, or some tasty vegan treats, enjoy it all to the fullest.
Big thanks for hanging out with us at Hnappurinn this year. Here's to a rewarding, digitally exciting, fulfilling and hopefully super safe 2024. Cheers to good times ahead!
Peace, puppets and techno,
Juraj
