Social media saturation for brands

INFLUENCER

Ogilvy launches service to manage rogue influencers

Ogilvy, part of WPP, introduces "Influence Shield" to protect brands from influencer-related reputational risks.

Here’s what you need to know

• Ogilvy's new service, "Influence Shield," aims to manage reputational issues caused by influencers

• The service includes round-the-clock social media monitoring, crisis management, and influencer vetting

• Influencer marketing is now a crucial part of brand strategy, with significant investment from companies

Introduction of Influence Shield

Ogilvy's "Influence Shield" is designed to swiftly address and mitigate reputational damage caused by influencers who endorse brands. This new service reflects the growing reliance on influencers in marketing strategies.

Managing reputational risks

The service offers continuous monitoring of social media, crisis response strategies, and influencer vetting to prevent potential issues. This is crucial in the current climate of political polarisation and contentious social issues.

Influencer marketing significance

Influencer marketing has become a significant component of digital marketing, with brands investing heavily in this area. Ogilvy clients are spending an average of 35% of their digital budgets on influencers, underscoring its importance.

Ensuring compliance and protection

"Influence Shield" aims to protect both brands and influencers by ensuring compliance and preventing inadvertent backlash from historical social media content. The service will help brands avoid PR disasters linked to influencer scandals.

Market context

The creator economy was valued at $250bn in 2023 and is projected to reach $480bn by 2027, highlighting the growing financial stakes in influencer marketing.

The digest

OpenAI is releasing a cheaper, smarter model: OpenAI is releasing a lighter, cheaper model for developers to tinker with called GPT-4o Mini. It costs significantly less than full-sized models and is said to be more capable than GPT-3.5.

Surge in political podcast popularity defines 2024 UK election: Political podcasts saw 53% growth in listenership over the 2024 UK general election, marking it as the "first podcast election". Leading podcasts like The Rest is Politics and Political Currency experienced unprecedented listener engagement, reflecting a growing trend in political media consumption.

Navigating reputational risks: The most sensitive topics for businesses in 2024: A new analysis from Gravity Research identifies the most sensitive topics for businesses in 2024, highlighting those with the highest potential for reputational impact. The study advises companies to carefully manage their communications on these high-risk areas to navigate the complex and polarized landscape effectively.

X will allow users to request a Community Note on posts: X is expanding its Community Notes option once again, this time by adding the capacity for users to request a note on posts that they believe may include questionable claims.

The FT asks who killed the ESG party: ESG investing was once a major trend in global finance, with widespread marketing and significant inflows of money. However, asset managers have recently become quieter about their ESG credentials due to poor performance, greenwashing scandals, and political backlash in the US. This film investigates who is responsible for the decline of ESG.

PODCAST

Isabella Williamson - Tyde AI

This week’s podcast guest is Isabella Williamson of Tyde AI, a consultancy that helps businesses integrate Generative AI to enhance their operations.

Isabella has led Generative AI projects for agencies and in-house communications and marketing teams, assisting decision-makers in creating strategies, optimising workflows, developing AI training programmes, and managing risk.

In the podcast, we cover:

• AI impact and hype

• AI in business communications

• Ethical and security concerns

• Engaging teams in AI projects

• AI tools

• How to stay ahead of developments

• And more

Listen: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 

SOCIAL STRATEGY

The state of social media saturation for brands

Social media saturation has created challenges for brands trying to capture audience attention. With over 5 billion users and rapidly evolving platforms, teams must navigate content overload and shifting consumer expectations.

Here’s what you need to know

• Content Overload: Users are overwhelmed by the volume of posts, leading to reduced engagement and shorter attention spans.

• AI and Misinformation: The rise of AI-generated content is increasing the complexity of maintaining brand integrity and trust.

• Platform Fragmentation: Diversifying platforms require brands to adapt their strategies to stay relevant.

Content production pressures

Brands are posting more than ever, but with attention spans shrinking to 47 seconds, consumers struggle to keep up.

AI’s impact on audience expectations

AI tools add to the flood of content and misinformation, making it harder for brands to maintain trust and visibility.

Platform uncertainty

New platforms emerge and decline, forcing brands to continuously adapt their strategies.

How to overcome social media saturation

• Invest in original content: Original content stands out more than trends, providing long-term engagement and relevance

• Calibrate content around audience preferences: Focus on preferred formats like video and “edutainment” to better capture audience attention

• Develop new rituals to spark creativity: Implement exercises like “External Inspiration” to keep the team creative and motivated

• Redefine how you measure success: Prioritise engagement over reach to build deeper, more meaningful connections with your audience

Tool of the week

Albacross

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