For added context, luxury fashion puts out the same amount of greenhouse gasses as France, Germany, and the UK. Combined.

While these stats are horrifying, this issue isn’t only about the survival of the environment. It’s also a threat to the survival of luxury fashion brands. ... (READ MORE)

Do you know what makes these ads work so well? They’re engaging, follow popular trends, and, most importantly, feel as authentic as other online videos we see from our favorite creators. 

Unfortunately, many marketers avoid creating this type of content because it “appears ugly,” discounting the ad’s effectiveness. ... (LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE)

Back in my day, when it was time to announce a new relationship, we would take to Facebook to change our single status. Something about that “in a relationship with” update really felt like a major life achievement. Nowadays, we’re seeing Instagram girlies soft launch their significant others by teasing Story posts of someone’s left shoulder or a Diddy-cropped photo with just their person’s eyebrow visible. Only the official couples get to revel in the celebratory relationship hard launch. ... (READ MORE)

Yet, if you repeat a factoid often enough, it has a way of entering the zeitgeist. That’s especially true for statistics ringing with truth. 

Case in point: everyone knows it costs 5x more to acquire customers than to get customers to return. This factoid (this time in “10x” form) even appeared in “The Office,” when an intern attending business school at night quizzed hapless boss Michael Scott. The joke was that the branch manager didn’t understand a basic business fact. ... (READ MORE)

It used to be one of the most ubiquitous phrases in search. Like Kleenex for tissues, Google is the brand nomenclature for an entire action. But now it may be one of new media’s next casualties.

TikTok, Twitter, and other social media platforms are becoming the new search engine stars.

This is partially by design. “Search it with TikTok,” says a recent TikTok ad in the UK. “Learn it with TikTok.” You can practically hear steam coming out of the ears (er, servers) over at Google and Bing. ... (READ MORE)

This year, like in previous years, there was no shortage of A-list celebrities placed front and center of the most coveted advertising slots. Celebrities ranged from Serena Williams, Alicia Silverstone, Melissa McCarthy, Bradley Cooper, and John Travolta.

But—here’s the thing. Do you remember any of the brands these celebrities were advertising? ... (READ MORE)

KitchenAid had access to first-party data from Trusted Media Brands. Two-thirds of TMB’s reader panel, for example, owned stand mixers. TMB’s readers were four times more likely than average to categorize themselves as a “holiday enthusiast.” And 55% of a Taste of Home kitchen survey respondents were looking for helpful kitchen appliance content.

Enter the Mixing and Mingling holiday campaign, which combined all of this data with the power of the creator economy. Taste of Home’s influencers offered recipes and recorded video stories sharing their favorite KitchenAid stories. For Elena Besser, that was the pasta-maker extension, which she tied into a story of using food as her love language. ... (READ MORE)

Add in TikTok or Instagram, and male beauty creators worldwide are growing audiences and partnering with emerging and legacy cosmetics brands for product launches or partnerships, too. ... (READ MORE)

When you pull up TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, you’ll see unique creator-made videos promoting sponsored content.

And, if you’re like other TikTok users contributing to #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt’s 36.7B views, you’ll probably make a fun new purchase.

Creator marketing (especially influencer-generated content) works wonders in the DTC world. Influencer Marketing Hub reports that 60% of marketers said influencer-generated content performs better and drives more engagement than branded posts.  ... (READ MORE)

As a category that relies on olfactory receptors first and foremost to attract and persuade, emerging brands must get creative with how they market to consumers.

From packaging to media, fragrance brands can’t rely on some of the more traditional elements of beauty marketing: before and after pictures or product benefits, just to name a couple. ... (READ MORE)

This statement has been echoed by Black creators both on the internet and in our everyday conversations since it was infamously spit like a bar by Issa Rae at the 2017 Emmy Awards. Since then, it has become a slogan for the culture, and it feels like a motto rooted in community and provides a sense of home for Black creators who haven’t always felt seen. ... (READ MORE)

Over the past couple of years, social media users have been explicit in asking for content from brands and creators that’s authentic, diverse, and inclusive. In short, social media users are begging for real. ... (READ MORE)

What’s wrong with this strategy? Aside from the fact that it never works, it’s rare to see brands—especially B2B companies—dive deep into every social media platform’s unique quirks. As a result, they rarely post creative content that engages their target audience. ... (READ MORE)

Add in the massive competition for traffic and sales, and you might find a brand or two swinging for the fences only to end up striking out spectacularly.

There’s also the fact that brands are constantly looking for new ways to stand out and achieve goals. 

As customers, we often praise brands taking daring approaches. We’re more apt to see brands making waves than observing the status quo.  ... (READ MORE)

There’s no doubt that in recent years, short-form video has either created this trend or capitalized on it. And it’s officially a trend creators can’t afford to ignore.  ... (READ MORE)

It was, in fact, Tobi Oluwole. And rather than knowing him from Spotify or your favorite Netflix series, you might have seen him doling out advice to underpaid and unfulfilled employees on LinkedIn.

Most people might not group LinkedIn with mega-creator platforms like YouTube and TikTok. TikTok is the exciting new kid on the block, rocket-blasting from $82 million in revenue in the third quarter of 2019 to $1,567 billion three years later. YouTube has been around longer, but its status as the world’s top video-sharing network makes it a titanic platform for any influencer. ... (READ MORE)

When 24-year-old Emma Lorrae started her UGC creator business in May 2022, she knew her passion was to be an entrepreneur and create content for brands. 

But it can be scary to start your own business–let alone walk away from a corporate job to run your business full-time.

However, less than a year into her endeavors, Lorrae is already making over $8K per month as a UGC creator and through influencer programs with channels like Amazon. Her earnings keep growing month after month. ... (READ MORE)

TikTok is only eight years old and already has more than 1 billion monthly users, or more than one-eighth of the world’s total population.

You also know TikTok is the hottest marketplace for online window shoppers. Most recent stats show TikTok generated an estimated $4.6 billion in revenue in 2021. (If everyone on TikTok gave me $4…)

It’s uncontested. TikTok is where brands need to be to find new customers and make sales.

But winning on TikTok is easier said than done. Some brand accounts crush it, while others see no engagement at all. ... (READ MORE)

Ecommerce is currently a trillion-dollar industry in China, and over half of the world’s eCommerce transactions take place in China. 

Meanwhile, in 2021, the U.S. saw $870 billion USD in eCommerce sales. Canada saw slightly over $53 billion USD.

China’s leading tech innovation is a top reason for its place as a global commerce leader. Many of the world’s most popular social media and commerce platforms started in China first and then moved westward.

The most prevalent example: TikTok. 

TikTok, first known as ByteDance and now Douyin, had hundreds of millions of users in China before it ever launched in the U.S. and Canada. ... (READ MORE)

Well, social media is officially the new word of mouth. Social media allows consumers to share your brand, and it helps you connect with consumers, build trust, and develop a community.

And, now there’s a way you can leverage the power of digital word of mouth marketing to also produce more impactful content at a reduced cost.

Enter user generated content (UGC).

UGC is exactly what it says on the tin—content created by the users, customers, and fans of your brand. 

And UGC is powerful. 72% of consumers believe reviews and testimonials from customers are more credible than the brand talking about its own products, and website visitors spend a whopping 90% more time on a site when UGC is present.

Getting high-quality UGC from people who love your brand can be tricky, but here are some tips on how you can be successful. ... (READ MORE)

Additionally, while TikTok started as an entertainment platform, it’s now one of the hottest social selling tools and an outstanding way for brands to penetrate new audiences and capture customers. In the fourth quarter of 2021 alone, TikTok reached $824 million in user spending, and it’s expected to account for 3.5% of all digital advertising spending in the U.S. by 2024.

What’s even more impressive than TikTok’s rapid growth and advertising spend is its pivotal role in creating new influencers. Recent stats show there are already 100,000+ active influencers making money from their TikTok presence.

When you look at TikTok’s unique strengths objectively, it provides a straightforward answer for how the brand can capture a portion of that $824 million in user spending on TikTok. The answer: partner with TikTok creators. 

Better yet is to do what brands like Nerf, Olipop, and Jones Road Beauty have done, and that’s hire creators to run their social media accounts. Here’s a closer look at why brands are doing this and why it’s working. ... (READ MORE)

Most likely, you’re thinking of a grey aesthetic, maybe some generic artwork, and an hour of your life that you wish you could be spending elsewhere. 

This is a reality that Dr. Suhail Mohiuddin—more commonly known as Dr. M—knew when he and two of his friends started a dental practice in 2013:

“If you look at NPS scores of dental offices, the average dental office has a score of one, which is somewhere between standing in line at the DMV and your cable company,” he joked.

That’s why Dr. M and his friends founded Dentologie: a practice to reshape people's thoughts about their semi-annual dentist trips. 

“People hate going to the dentist, so our entire concept is to create an awesome experience that people don't hate. We tailor the entire business around amazing technology, beautiful locations, and phenomenal customer service.”

Today, Dentologie is the largest dental practice in Chicago, with a strong social media presence that drives 25% of its new clients.

How did Dr. M (a dentist with zero prior experience in marketing) pull this off? 

It has nothing to do with luck—it’s been pure strategy since Day 1. Dr. M applies many direct-to-consumer best practices to his personal TikTok, driving almost 750K followers and new clients to his business. ... (READ MORE)

Given that the sport dates to 1965, it’s not surprising that it’s seen growth to some 4.5 million players in the U.S. 

What is surprising is its recent renaissance. As The Atlantic reports, athletes like Kevin Love, Drew Brees, and Kevin Durant have spent money towards ownership stakes in pickleball teams. Tom Brady is investing in a pickleball expansion team. LRMR, which has LeBron James as a co-founder, has also made pickleball investments. 

“It is America’s fastest-growing sport,” notes The Atlantic, calling it an “antidote to loneliness and boredom,” growing even before COVID-19 made lonely and bored people of us all. 

Some have even suggested pickleball might end up an Olympic-sanctioned sport.

Today, top creators—not just Tom Brady—are picking up the scent of pickled cucumbers. And that’s having a unique effect. For the first time, you and I might be able to watch a new American pastime sport growing up in the age of influencers and social media—because of influencers and social media.

While it might seem like pickleball is a come-and-go trend, more akin to cold bucket challenges and “is it real or cake?” videos, pickleball is a trend with staying power. In the world of viral hits and short-lived fads, that’s unique to both sports and TikTok.

Still confused about how it’s all going down? Here’s everything you need to know. ... (READ MORE)

We see our favorite TikTokers promoting new beauty products, an Instagram model showing off new threads, and nutritionists sharing their choice foods and snacks on YouTube. 

Creators and influencers are everywhere—and they’re a big part of how we recognize brands today.

But what about luxury cars?

Most vehicle brands still spend thousands of dollars (if not millions) creating their own high-quality commercials: a man’s deep voice describing the look and feel of the car while viewers see it trudging through mountains, cities, and other landscapes.

We’ve all seen them. For a long time, there’s been a major lack of creativity in this market.

Until recently…  (READ MORE)

Of course they do!

But you may be surprised how many brands used a deceptive and false email marketing tactic this past Black Friday weekend—and customers started to catch on.

We’re not talking about emails with “Surprise, we extended our sale!” messaging. Consumers expect these after years of seeing that exact subject line 100 times in their inboxes, but they don’t expect companies to lie as a tactic to promote an ongoing sale so blatantly.

What many consumers received were emails with something like the following? 

“Due to high demand (and steep Black Friday discounts), our site crashed momentarily. It’s back up, though, and you can shop up to 60% off everything!” ... (READ MORE)

Fact: Everyone wore hoodies during the pandemic. 

Fact: We all love expressing ourselves in different ways. 

Fact: Everyone can do with a little positivity in their day-to-day lives. 

Combine all these attributes, put them into a wishing well, and what do you get? An optimistic brand that sells positivity-focused clothing, writes Monday motivation quotes, and sells really bright and happy hoodies.

Sounds Awful, right? Or rather, full of awe? 

I sat down with Charles (Chaz) Zayed and Emmit Flynn from Awful Cloth to learn about their brand, its messaging, and their strategy for expanding to over 70 countries while in the middle of a pandemic. Here’s what we discussed. ... (READ MORE)

I don’t want to talk about an algorithm hack that will get you lots of views today. Rather, it’s important to build for longevity. I’ve noticed that some of the most successful creators started by setting parameters. More specifically, they work from a mindset that maximizes focus. Specifically: Tap into your competitive advantage, and work to become the best at that advantage.  ...  (READ MORE)

“TikTok’s motto is ‘Make TikToks, not ads' because the most successful ads on TikTok aren’t ads,” said Bryan Gold, CEO of #paid. “This partnership provides an opportunity for brands to make more TikToks with the world’s top creators—and run all their creator campaigns, across social channels, from one central location."  ... (READ MORE)

It experienced a 7% year-over-year sales loss. On top of that, its sister labels Gilly Hicks and influencer-led brand Social Tourist reported a 15% decline in sales. Conversely, Hollister’s parent company Abercrombie & Fitch saw a 5% lift in sales. 

What was the issue?

After an internal study of sales data, executives at Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch found that brands targeting teens were losing sales. Part of this was due to inflation and the rising cost of living, but they found the key pain point was an age-old reality: most teens simply don’t have much purchasing power. After researching today’s Gen Alpha (teen) consumers, Hollister created the Share2Pay app to tackle this problem. ... (READ MORE)

This sounds valuable to advertisers but it puts creators at a disadvantage if they haven’t focused on building a community. I was about to raise my hand when another panelist piped up and responded with an important question: “What makes you think all creators have built a community?”

Building audiences has always been a lucrative endeavor. It’s the reason why the amount brands spend on influencer marketing keeps rising. Community is powerful on its own, too. Conferences and online memberships are thriving businesses. This begs the question, do all creators need to build community? ... (READ MORE)

Even if consumers are upset by inflation and the current state of the economy, the good news is they are still spending—especially during the upcoming holiday season. In fact, 30% of all retail sales typically happen between BFCM and Christmas.

If you’re an eCommerce brand or retailer, now is the time to double-down and prepare to grow your sales this upcoming season. Here are effective ways you can grow your sales this year, according to eComm industry experts. ... (READ MORE)

Most Meta-related features have been wiped from the platform, including Instagram creator search.

And that’s barely scratching the surface. 

The platform removed unauthenticated Instagram creators along with the campaigns and content they’ve made for partner brands in the past. ...  (READ MORE)

It made me think about TikTok and how it may be negatively impacting the longevity of a creator’s career. Someone new blows up on TikTok every day. We celebrate how quickly you can find success. It sounds nice, but what are the long-term effects?  ... (READ MORE)

Brands are failing to recognize what Gen Z values. As a result, brands miss the mark when trying to engage them through marketing messages. The worst part for brands? They are losing an audience whose buying power will only increase as Gen Zers get older and start making more money. ... (READ MORE)

So why, then, are so many eCommerce brands still utilizing plain product images on a flat, white background?

Think about it: Would you be more apt to buy a sweater if you just saw an image of it on a white background? Or what if instead, you had the added visual context of the bag being held by a model and styled for different occasions?  ... (READ MORE)

According to its website, with Parker you can “track your financial metrics, campaign profitability, and pay all business expenses with a card that can keep up with your growth.” ... READ MORE

Fanatics is an American online manufacturer and retailer of licensed sportswear, sports collectibles, NFTs, trading cards, and sports merchandise.

Fanatics is one of the largest websites to join the Bolt network, and it comes at a time when the SaaS has been fighting an uphill battle against lawsuits, layoffs and struggles to raising. ... (READ MORE)

Congratulations, you’ve made what is called user generated content, better known in the marketing world as UGC.

Keep this in mind: We’re talking about UGC coming from customers and brand fans; however, there’s also paid UGC created on behalf of a brand, but that’s a different conversation for another day.

It’s no secret that we tend to trust the content that looks real or authentic on social media. 

Mega-influencers and celebrities don’t always have the reach they used to because there’s a general consensus they’re being paid simply to post about a product or service they don’t care about or use. ... (READ MORE)

While storytelling isn’t a new form of communication (clearly), it’s only recently that online brands discovered its power to connect them with their consumers in a more meaningful way. 

It’s clear that consumers are selective about where they spend their money, and brands that share specific beliefs and values have won the hearts of the modern-day consumer over brands that slap a logo on their product that’s made in the same factory as thousands of others.

But is storytelling the future of DTC? The founders of three modern brands believe it is. ... (READ MORE)

After all, how do you successfully sell the sense of smell or taste when customers can’t…well…actually taste or smell your product?

It’s not an easy task, but some brands, like Pura, are still somehow knocking their eCommerce sales out of the park. ... (READ MORE)

I particularly remember when channels like mitú and Pero Like were launched in 2012 and 2016 to cater to a need for online Hispanic and Latinx content. The content was multicultural and cross-cultural, relatable to those identifying as Hispanic or Latinx and those who just had a love for the stories and could see themselves in them. With the U.S. Hispanic population reaching over 62.1 million in 2020 (an increase of 23% since 2010), there are even more stories to tell. Now media and entertainment brands like Refinery29, Netflix, and HBO Max are following suit with their Latinx community-centric pages like Somos, Con Todo, and Pa’Lante. Now, what do all of these brands have in common aside from celebrating and shining a light on Latinx culture? Creators—the people bringing the content to life. ... (READ MORE)

However, a cushy new sofa or mattress isn’t always enough to pad the discomfort of inflation and a down economy, and furniture sales are now slowing. 

“We saw an acceleration in sales throughout the pandemic which began to taper late last year. Sales have seen a decline into the second quarter of 2022 and have stabilized over the third quarter,” says Jordan England, co-founder and CEO of eCommerce furniture company Industry West. ... (READ MORE)

This resurgence in focus on astrology has a lot to do with the movement toward wellness and self-care, and the declining interest in organized religion. As more turn away from traditional religion and delve deeper into spirituality (while still wanting to find a sense of guidance or understanding), the alternative for many is to dive into the varying layers of astrology. ... (READ MORE)

What do you do when you’re forced to stay home for days, weeks, months at a time?

You make improvements to your home, of course.

With that, in the early days of COVID, furniture sales saw tremendous growth. 

In February of 2020, Americans spent $11.3 billion on furniture and home furnishings, and monthly sales grew by 181% over an 11-month period from April 2019 to March 2020, according to Commerce Department data.

However, a cushy new sofa or mattress isn’t always enough to pad the discomfort of inflation and a down economy, and furniture sales are now slowing. 

Layoffs have come from the likes of Wayfair, Article and more.

Should brands hire creators over agencies to produce high-fidelity content?

Stats show brands that understand the power of creator influence are winning. 

Influencer marketing is booming, driving stellar results, and has an average ROI of $5.78 for every dollar spent. This is one reason why only 39% of marketers planned to grow influencer marketing efforts in 2018, but a whopping 72.5% are increasing their budgets today.

This begs the following questions. If creator content is so effective across social media, should brands be turning to creators for all kinds of high-fidelity content as well? And, is there a benefit to hiring creators directly instead of going the traditional route and hiring an agency? 

Well the answer is yes and no. It depends on what you’re looking for. 

The pros dive into the topic over at banknotes.co

What’s your sign? How brands are using astrology to start a conversation

If you feel like you’re seeing a lot of marketing campaigns focussed on astrology and the zodiak lately, you’re not alone. 

This resurgence in focus on astrology has a lot to do with the movement toward wellness and self-care, and the declining interest in organized religion. As more turn away from traditional religion and delve deeper into spirituality (while still wanting to find a sense of guidance or understanding), the alternative for many is to dive into the varying layers of astrology.

As more become interested in star signs and birth charts, brands are catching on and looking for ways to market products based on zodiac signs.

There’s another motive for brands to do this, too. 

Consumers love it when brands ‘get’ them on a personal level. And what’s more personal than offering products or recommendations based on zodiac signs? 

Learn more over at banknotes.co

Market research still matters in the world of COVID and eCommerce

In a lot of ways market research is a legacy tactic, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored by brands big and small. 

In fact, market research as come a long way from the focus groups of the past.

While formal studies and surveys are still on the table, the host of potential market research channels now open to marketers has grown exponentially.

Those conversations can be happening on traditional social media channels like Facebook and Instagram, or occurring on a Discord channel or on Twitch. Then there are of course sales and customer service calls that can be audited for research, along with one-on-one Zoom sessions.

Head over to banknotes.link/marketresearch to learn more about how market research is evolving.

From using organic social to paid media, there’s one thing every brand would love to improve: the ROI.

As much as influencer marketing and working with creators is a growing trend for most eCommerce brands, there are still plenty of options to create brand awareness, drive traffic back to websites or landing pages, and build a community.

One such technique, often referred to as whitelisting, creator licensing, or creator listing (really, various terms mean the same thing here), has shown to be beneficial for particular brands.  ... (READ MORE)

Each week we provide a short rundown of what we’re keeping our eye on across eCommerce, retail and the creator economy. You can always check banknotes.co for daily articles and insights from across the industry and subscribe to our channel wherever you download your podcasts.

So here’s what we’re keeping tabs on this week …

DTC brands turn to crowdfunding investments as recession looms

Recession looms, inflation is at a 40-year record high, and supply-chain issues and advertising uncertainty abound. As a result, DTC brands are facing a VC funding drought. 

But it's not all doom and gloom.

Several DTC brands are turning to alternative, crowdfunding options to raise capital.

Learn more over at banknotes.link/crowdfunding

Influencer and publisher whitelisting is all the rage: And it works!

Brands are constantly on the lookout for the next marketing technique. 

One such technique, often referred to as whitelisting, creator licensing, or creator listing (really, various terms mean the same thing here), has shown to be beneficial for particular brands. 

In a nutshell, whitelisting is this: creators and publishers give access to their social platforms (usually Facebook and Instagram, though TikTok is growing) so brands can upload and boost posts.

Learn more over at banknotes.link/whitelisting

Chris Meade and how CROSSNET is creating a new sports category

Chris Meade is not only marketing a product, he's creating a new sport!

Through CROSSNET he's brought 'four square' to volleyball, soccer and pickleball; and he's done it all without raising venture money.

CROSSNET products are now sold in Dick's Sporting Goods and TARGET among others and it's even been featured on ESPN.

Read more about CROSSNET over at banknotes.link/crossnet

In fact, market research as come a long way from the focus groups of the past.

While formal studies and surveys are still on the table, the host of potential market research channels now open to marketers has grown exponentially.

According to a 2021 survey by Statista, more than nine out of 10 businesses in North America reported moving more of their eCommerce efforts to social media. At the time of the survey, 73% of those businesses were already selling through social media. ... (READ MORE)

But the reality is that being a creator doesn’t mean you have to have hundreds of  thousands of TikTok followers, and being an influencer doesn’t mean you’re qualified to ‘create.’ ... (READ MORE)

Each week we provide a short rundown of what we’re keeping our eye on across eCommerce, retail and the creator economy. You can always check banknotes.co for daily articles and insights from across the industry and subscribe to our channel wherever you download your podcasts.

So here’s what we’re keeping tabs on this week …

Wayfair announces layoffs

Online future giant Wayfair this week announced it was laying off 5% of its workforce, about 900 jobs.

"We were seeing the tailwinds of the pandemic accelerate the adoption of e-commerce shopping, and I personally pushed hard to hire a strong team to support that growth," CEO Niraj Shah wrote in an letter to employees. "This year, that growth has not materialized as we had anticipated. Our team is too large for the environment we are now in, and unfortunately we need to adjust."

This announcement comes on the heels of Canadian DTC furniture leader Article also announcing significant layoffs.

Yeezy Gap merchandising: Insensitive or innovative?

You may have heard a bit about Kanye West going retail and offering his clothing like at GAP.

Well that clothing line showed up not on shelves but in black, garbage-like bags in the stores.

The Internet was flooded with headlines about the Yeezy x Gap clothes in 'trash bags,' so the famous rapper had to address the controversy. According to Ye, those were not trash bags but rather large construction bags, and the clothes were placed inside to make dressing easier for customers. 

Read more over at banknotes.co on whether this is smart merchandising or a social experiment.

Creators without influence can still benefit your brand

In today’s digital age, the term “creator” has been taken hostage by those with a critical mass of followers and who make money exclusively from growing an audience.

But the reality is that being a creator doesn’t mean you have to have hundreds of  thousands of TikTok followers, and being an influencer doesn’t mean you’re qualified to ‘create.’

BANKNOTES writer Ashley Cummings dove into ways brands can work with creators regardless of how many followers they have.

Read more over at banknotes.co

Peloton rides over to Amazon

In a surprise move Peloton has decided to sell its exercise bikes and other fitness products and clothing on Amazon.

After months of mounting losses and supply-chain issues, the deal with Amazon is an effort for Peloton to get itself back on the right track and shore up sales.

“Post-COVID, the retail environment is continuing to evolve, and that’s something that we’re trying to understand better to make sure the Peloton of the future is calibrated appropriately for that,” Peloton Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Cornils told CNBC. “We want to make it as easy as possible to get a Peloton.”

Don’t forget to sign up for the upcoming BANKNOTES webinar, which will unpack how to get started on market research.

Join BANKNOTES editor in chief Ian Leslie as he speaks with Rachel Swanson, founder & principal at Method + Mode.

Swanson will discuss the importance of market research and how best for any business, regardless of size, to get started with a research project. Sign up for the webinar at banknotes.link/webinars 

Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of BANKNOTES NEWS. Subscribe to   stay on top of the latest digital trends for  ecommerce, retail, and the creator economy.

See you next week. 

In addition to being a marketer, customer service rep, and eCommerce generalist, you also have to stay on top of the changes to the platforms: Which seem to come every day! 

In fact, the world of social media is always changing. The trick to staying on top of social media is to watch for the changes that look less like tweaks and more like big friggin’ deals.

Here’s just some of what’s come down the pike over the past couple of weeks. ... (READ MORE)

While her gaming skills are on point and it’s a riot to watch her play, her fun personality is what makes me continue to avidly consume her content. She’s conversational, warm, and absolutely hilarious.

So, when I heard LeeshCapeesh was going to be at the Creator Economy Expo in AZ, I immediately reached out to her for an interview. ... (READ MORE)

But, with the advent of the Internet, the growth of the Creator Economy, and the rise of TikTok as a source of information, spiritual enlightenment is innovating right along with popular technology. ... (READ MORE)

A new brand focused on "empowering dog parents to prepare home-cooked meals for their dogs" has launched online and is trying to upend a busy direct-to-consumer (DTC) pet-food vertical.

Finix announce $30M in funding

Payments provider Finix today announced it has raised $30M in new capital, bringing its total funding to $133M.

"New and existing investors chose to back Finix thanks to the growth we’ve shown in the last six months, including Q2 2022 being our best quarter ever in terms of new deals closed," the fintech company said in a Wednesday blog post. ... (READ MORE)

This week, Metaverse focussed company TerraZero announced a partnership with tech, gaming and AI media and event company VentureBeat. The two companies will build a Metaverse event center and corporate showcase environment in Decentraland.

As companies continue to invest in Metaverse projects, consumers continue to engage. 74% of US adults are joining or considering joining the Metaverse. And, by 2026, 25% of people will spend an hour in the Metaverse per day.

Another week, another round of updates to social media platforms that marketers need to keep an eye on.

A lot’s been happening in social media recently, but not all of it is going to be earth-shattering. Recent trends—like Facebook getting away from long-form video—highlight why social media diversification is key. 

BANKNOTES took a deep dive into the latest updates across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat.

Believe it or not, Cyber Week is right around the corner.

And though the economy has slowed, there’s still billions in potential revenue up for grabs during the holiday shopping season 

Brands can’t underestimate the importance of creator marketing when planning their cyber week campaigns.

In fact, consumers are 71% more likely to buy products after seeing positive reviews on their social networks. 

BANKNOTES breaks down how to get the most out of your creator campaigns for Cyber Week over at banknotes.link/cyberweek

A new social media account and website is looking to shine a light on the influencer pay gap. 

F You Pay Me’s mission is to bring more transparency, accountability, and fairness to the influencer industry, and to make sure influencers get paid what they’re worth.

Learn more over at banknotes.link/fypm

A new brand focused on "empowering dog parents to prepare home-cooked meals for their dogs" has launched online and is trying to upend a busy direct-to-consumer (DTC) pet-food vertical.

According to its website, Dog Child exists to "improve the quality of your dog’s life through easy home cooking and make it as special as it is to make homemade meals for your family.

Payments provider Finix today announced it has raised $30M in new capital, bringing its total funding to $133M.

This latest funding round for Finix comes on the heels of a May announcement that the company, which previously was focussed on helping businesses become their own payment companies, had transitioned to becoming a PayFac (payment facilitator) itself.

Rates are all over the place and there’s little transparency into what (and if) brands pay influencers, making it difficult for influencers to understand their monetary value. 

@MsYoungProfess, founder of F*** You Pay Me (FYPM) created FYPM in response to this problem. The organization’s mission is to bring more transparency, accountability, and fairness to the influencer industry, and to make sure influencers get paid what they’re worth. ... (READ MORE)

But we also live in a world in which being a content creator is a dream career for many. Being a content creator means being online often, crafting a career on addictive social media platforms, and subjecting oneself to 24/7 scrutiny. The negative mental health implications that social media has on users is even more amplified for content creators. ... (READ MORE)

For instance the brand has posted examples of coolers that have survived (well at least they're still recognizable) boat fires and being dragged 20 miles along the highway. Another video shows a water bottle that was pulled out of a truck fire and still had ice in it. ... (READ MORE)

Learn about how YETI is leveraging authentic user generated content (UGC) to attract social media viewers and prove its product stands up to the worst situations.

Also this week:

BeReal: What’s the appeal of Gen Z’s new fave app

Shopify invests in marketing automation platform Klaviyo

Gifting platform, Govalo, launches new integration with Recharge

• Yes it’s almost time to go back to school
• The growth of the community manager role
• Shopify announces losses and round of layoffs
• Instagram finds itself in the crosshairs
• DTC brands founded by influencers: The future is now

Each we’ll be provide a short rundown of what we’re keeping our eye on across eCommerce, retail and the creator economy. You can always check banknotes.co for daily articles and insights from across the industry and subscribe to our channel wherever you download your podcasts.

Read more over at http://banknotes.co/

Featured speakers are Osayame Gaius, founder and CEO of the mobile commerce platform, Parrot; and Mason Lin, founder of checkout platform Pockyt. 

Or watch the interview online at: https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/ecommerce-payments-its-about-making-life-easier-for-consumers

This article was going to answer that question. But it turns out that was the wrong question—because the answer is that they both suck. 

Instagram and TikTok are doing anything they can to attract creators. Anything, that is, except the one thing that would create a fair value exchange between platform and creator: partial ownership of the platform company.  ... (READ MORE)

Let's be honest—most people could live without the constant barrage of ads everywhere. 

With $37 billion in revenue up for grabs this season, you can bet brands are going to be all over back-to-school ads. 

So how do you make your brand stand out in the noise of back-to-school ads? 

One way is collaborating with creators. ... (READ MORE)

Designed to cultivate engagement around various topics while highlighting related products, TooD Beauty is using nostalgia for teen magazines to create content for both the website and social platforms. ... (READ MORE)

During her time on a VC fund’s investment board, Sarah met with founders from all over the world. Inspired by their determination to bring their visions to life, she realized that if she wanted to, she could do the same.

Her eventual foray into the life of a founder was the result of a frustration with natural body products that didn’t work–aluminum-free deodorant being the number one culprit. Increasingly frustrated by the lack of effective products on the market, she decided she’d develop her own…and that’s how Curie was born. ... (READ MORE)

If your brand is spending thousands on getting content from influencers, should brands be looking for ways to repurpose that content. Yes. Especially with marketing budgets shrinking. Why pay your agency for more creative, when your expert influencers have already made it for you?   

You don’t need to just rely on your agency or in-house team for fresh creative assets. Your influencers are content creators—work with them to reuse their incredible photos, videos, stories—and anything else they’re creating for you. It’s a great way to increase your asset library, without having to ask your CEO or CMO for more budget?

Here are some of the most creative ways brands are extending the life of their creator content from Amazon listing, pinterest, and email marketing. ... (READ MORE)

With 500,000 active influencers on Instagram alone, this leaves a significant portion of the working population vulnerable to poor labor conditions. 

Now creators are pushing back with more aggressive organization efforts. They’re fighting for union representation. Online communities and formal organizations are creating pay transparency. Marginalized creators are advocating for equitable pay and protection from harassment. ... (READ MORE)

The themes and finding of the Visions Report were based on an online survey with 1,000 consumers across the United Stated between the ages of 18 and 64. The survey was conducted in May 2022 and all respondents were screened for shopping behaviors, personally earned income, and digital savviness. ... (READ MORE)

Sports entities are being forced to make their games more engaging, using eSports codes, gamification strategies, pushing daily fantasy, interactive experiences, and sports betting. Simply put, Gen Z doesn’t want to just sit back and watch traditional sports broadcasts. Alternative broadcasts allow viewers to essentially watch a live podcast with the game playing on the screen at the same time. ... (READ MORE)

From being seen as just one more social media channel to becoming an important part of every successful brand’s marketing playbook—TikTok has revolutionized social media marketing. By the end of 2022, TikTok’s ad revenue is expected to triple, and they’re projected to own 20% of the social media market share, according to CNBC.

As with most social media platforms, things change quickly here and trends evolve at a rapid pace. The good news: We’ve gathered some of the top TikTok trends brands need to know about in 2022. (READ MORE)

But once you’ve reached the summits of creator success on your platform, where’s the space to grow? If you feel tapped out by the possibilities present in your current community or current platform, it can be difficult to explain trends like this:

The truth is, even after you hit mega-success as a creator, there’s always somewhere to go. Recent boosts in digital technology have poured money into just about anything creators can touch: digital retail, crypto and NFT initiatives, even TV streaming. ... (READ MORE)

QYOU, for example, launched a viral multi-phased campaign for “Sing 2.” It was a smashing success. The campaign drove 26.4 million views, 2.2 million engagements, and a 9% engagement rate on posts featuring key characters, music, and messaging. ... (READ MORE)

For a serious dive into the history and timeline of the brand, head over to Abercrombie & Fitch’s approach to marketing: then and now; but first, let’s back up the reason why we’re even talking about this brand.

At one point, it looked like Abercrombie was as good as gone. ... (READ MORE)

It was only last month that Salesforce reported a year-over-year decline in global digital sales for Q1 2022 as recorded by its Shopping Index, the first-ever decline in the nine-year history of the index. ...  (READ MORE )

Consumers are being inundated with an average of 10K ads a day across all platforms and they’re not happy about it. In fact, 91% of people believe ads are more intrusive now compared to two or three years ago, and 79% believe they’re being tracked by retargeted ads. 

As such, it’s common practice for online buyers to ignore ads, install blockers, hide sponsored posts, decline cookies, unsubscribe from lists, and participate in other actions that reduce irrelevant exposure to brands. ... (READ MORE)

In 1974, Thailand tackled poverty with an unconventional approach: promoting the use of condoms. That same year, the average Thai family had seven children. Women didn’t have many opportunities outside the home, and supporting a large family was next to impossible on small wages during a recession. ... (READ MORE)

But people still trust each other. That’s why DTC brands that leverage user-generated content are thriving.

Take Viome, for instance. They’re a health and wellness company on a mission to digitize the human microbiome and solve chronic illnesses. They do this by sending a self-testing kit to your home, analyzing your blood and stool samples, and sending back personalized data, health recommendations, and a custom list of supplements designed uniquely for your biology. ... (READ MORE)

As founder and CEO of Paloma, Hunter has long understood the power of DMs. In 2018 she launched Paloma’s first product, which allows merchants to connect their backend catalog with their Facebook and Instagrams DMs. This essentially streamlined the discovery process for customers who engaged with brands via DMs, pointing them to the right products and aiding them in checkout. ... (READ MORE)

You may have even participated in some of the viral, movie-related TikTok trends, including the “Voice of Ghostface” sound, the “Big Red Dog” effect on TikTok, or the branded “#GhostYourProblems” effect.

When I learned how QYOU leverages TikTok’s tools to partner with creators on viral social media campaigns for some of the most beloved pop culture films, I knew I had to talk to their team. ... (READ MORE)

Instagram has already well documented how an increased cadence of tagging increases a brand’s on-site conversion rate: Tag a product at least five times across a month’s time and almost double your purchases, per Instagram.  ... (READ MORE)

“Our new Shoppable Instagram module lets brands repurpose Instagram (IG) content to be featured across their online stores and made ‘shoppable’ (in other words, can be tagged with products that shoppers can click through to in streamlining their paths-to-purcahse),” a Nosto blog post states. “Shoppable Instagram lets brands pull from the visuals they’re tagged in on IG, are mentioned in, as well as those they’ve posted themselves.” ... (READ MORE)

Regardless of which you choose, you’re bound to be impressed by the trajectory of Bing’s influence over fashion and social media.

Like millions (literally) before me, I first learned about the Anine (pronounced A-nina) Bing brand on Instagram. From the editorial feed to classic styling, Anine Bing Official strikes that perfect balance between curated feed and the use of trending tools to keep followers engaged and interested. ... (READ MORE)

Earle Haas, however, did invent the first tampon with an applicator. In the late 1920s, Haas, an osteopathic physician who struck it rich with his previous invention of a flexible ring for a contraceptive diaphragm, wanted to invent a better period product than the rags his wife used every month to manage her period.  ... (READ MORE)

Something similar happened to women during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Between 1860–1965, we saw the invention and mass adoption of the electric washing machine, dishwasher, and vacuum cleaner. Paper towels reduced the amount of rags to clean. Liquid soap and germ-killing disinfectant sprays made it easier to sanitize surfaces. ... (READ MORE)

With the advent of social media and the rise in creator fandoms, brands are now turning to creators for endorsements. What’s more, many creators lend greater clout to a brand than big celebrities do. ... (READ MORE)

Feeney's collective Instagram/TikTok audience of 7.6 million people well exceeds that of the Commanders, which sits at about 2.5 million. ... (READ MORE)

Maybe we needed a reminder that creating a beloved game means prioritizing development over marketing. Maybe we needed a meaningful conversation about the disconnect between upper management and development teams at gaming companies. Maybe we needed to acknowledge that decisions made based on profit alone sometimes produce a bad product. 

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most expensive games ever made, with a production cost of $174 million and a marketing budget of $142 million. While it may be normal for a game’s marketing budget to take up 45% of its total costs, Cyberpunk 2077 is at least a cautionary tale about what can go wrong when a game’s hype-cycle is more important than the product’s quality. ...  (READ MORE)

Ask anyone to list off a roster of top creators and you’ll get a mix of names depending on which platform they frequent. 

From Mr. Beast and Ryan’s World on YouTube (with a combined 100 million subscribers) to Charlie D’Amelio and Addison Rae on TikTok, these creators have hit celebrity status in terms of popularity and earnings. 

But what about the two million-plus creators who run professional-level productions? And there’s more: Influencer Marketing Hub states there are an estimated 50 million individuals out there who consider themselves to be part of the creator economy.

From Twitch to Instagram, YouTube to TikTok, platforms are evolving. Along with the rapid growth of platforms like TikTok, for example, comes a wave of new tools and resources to help creators get their start.

Of 50 million creators out there, 46.7 million identify as ‘amateurs’ – those who are making money as creators but not gaining enough income to step away from regular paychecks.

That’s where a ‘creator middle class’ comes into play.

As more creators step onto respective platforms and carve out a niche of the market, there’s going to be a need for more attention to be placed on this sector of the creator economy.

In 2020, Li Jin wrote an article for Harvard Business Review titled, ‘The Creator Economy Needs a Middle Class.’

Source: Business Insider 

In the piece, Jin highlights much of the changing behaviors as popularity for social media platforms – and the desire to create content – has grown. Here are just some of the impressive statistics highlighted:

• 30% of kids (between the ages of eight and 12) want to be YouTubers/Creators when they grow up.
• Monthly AdSense checks for David Dobrik, a popular YouTube creator, hit approximately $275,000 for every 60 million views.
• TikTok creator, Charli D’Amelio, was worth a whopping $4 million dollars at age 16.

And it’s not just video creators making this kind of splash in the creator economy, either. Top writers and creators on Substack pull in at least $7 million dollars annually, according to the Harvard Business Review.

But is having a creator middle class really that important? Actually, yes, and here’s why:

Aside from spreading the wealth and avoiding a few big names from monopolizing space across various platforms, there are other benefits to paying attention to this emerging segment.

• There’s increased trust when promoting products or services
• A healthy sense of competition exists, driving improvement and innovation across the board
• Demand for products is stabilized over time rather than gaining fleeting attention
• Social platforms actually grow and become stronger when there’s an equal opportunity

One example of this is Vine (RIP).

Source: Dextero 

Despite its massive growth and short-form video content format (not to mention the 200+ million users), the platform ultimately lost creators as they moved to platforms like Snap, Instagram, and YouTube. Why? These platforms started to create tools and monetization opportunities for creators. 

Where Vine failed, TikTok succeeded. 

But that’s not to say that any of the current platforms are a utopia for creators, either. Creators on TikTok are noticing the discrepancy between payments and as the platform continues to grow it will be even harder for creators to stand out. 

Here’s a takeaway: There will always be popular figures in the creator economy. Whether on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, high-level creators will continue to emerge. But in order to move forward and create innovation, a middle-class creator economy needs to exist. 

The Creator Economy is Changing

With over 50 million content creators coming up with new ways to engage audiences every day, the face of the creator economy is has been changing for a while. While most of us are tired of hearing about the pandemic, it has played a major role in accelerating the growth of the middle-class community on social media. 

While only the top 2% of creators retain a vast majority of revenue, the creator middle class is finding its place and learning how to succeed. As the social media landscape changes, the rise of small business-like content entrepreneurs is starting to take a bigger, more important role. 

And unlike influencers with an overly large fan base, the creator middle class is taking an approach that is resonating with the industry. 

What does this look like? 

It’s all about being more approachable and offering a different type of content that might not currently be as profitable as the revenue generated by more famous creators. This can be seen in the growing demand for micro and nano influencers. 

As more creators tap into the market and use the available tools or platforms, the middle-class segment of the creator economy will continue to grow. 

Who is considered the creator ‘middle class?’

While most social media platforms offer the ability to become a content creator, the creator middle class is looking at things a little differently. 

Rather than relying on existing entities to release their content, they are taking ownership of their content. Although they still must rely on participating with and paying third-party software, unlike regular creators, the middle class is opting to retain ownership of the things they publish. 

In other words, middle-class creators are taking their already existing entrepreneurial skills and turning them into personalized content. We see this with creators connecting with users through paid-for newsletters and exclusive communities. 

As the creator economy has grown, creators have started to realize that what they develop is more than just content they upload to a platform. This shift in going from influencer to creator has also helped creators understand that what they have to offer is not much different from any other service provider. 

Operating more like a small business than an influencer offers the ability to turn interests and personal pursuits into fully branded content. 

Growth and the creator middle class 

From music teachers to eBook writers and software engineers, the creator middle class has a much broader appeal than more narrowed advertorial content. 

While some middle-class creators are looking for a part-time income, others are quite successfully utilizing their everyday skills to make a living. And the industry is adjusting. 

Sites that allow direct payment like WordPress and Twitch are changing the way that creators make money. Rather than relying on an algorithm that pushes views toward the top tier of creators, monetization is becoming more accessible. 

From sites like Patreon that offer subscriptions to TikTok tip jars, monetization is moving away from algorithm-based hits to digital gifts or payments that go directly to the creator. 

The future of creators: how brands should work with this segment of the creator ecosystem 

Brands looking to take advantage of the transition from mega influencers to a creator middle class are destined to reap some of the same benefits. 

Source: Digital MR

Influencers might thrive on popularity rather than trust, but the shoe is on the other foot with middle class creators. Creators in this tier offer a lot of educational expertise and brands can rely on trustworthy material that speaks in their brand’s voice. 

Because those on the top-earning tiers suffer from a flash-in-the-pan style of earning, brands can also benefit from longer-term relationships with the creator middle class. 

When brands invest in this level of creator, the obligation doesn’t end with popular content. By hiring skilled creators who are not necessarily looking to rake in six figures, there’s a greater opportunity for long-term work and tailored continuing education. 

Expectations for the Creator Middle Class

Although the creator middle class is still gaining notoriety, more and more corporations and tech giants are noticing. 

As the industry moves away from content that’s owned by a platform to content that’s privately produced and published, it creates independence that allows for a lot of future flexibility. 

With growth expected to continue to foster niche creators, it’s expected that there will be another shift in the future. 

Trends are showing that media companies will begin to seek and employ content talent on a more specialized and granular level. Deeper than that, it’s expected to morph into more specialized outlets for specific industries. 

Rather than the freelance free-for-all creators are experiencing now, content houses and influencer agencies are expected to tailor the current state of affairs to become even more profitable. 

At present, the top 90th percentile of creators makes over $70,000 a year, but it’s forecasted to become a much more evened out number. The rise of the middle class is all but certain to level the playing field. Rather than rely on a near-celebrity status to monetize, the creator middle class relies on their skills and the future of content that they’ll be able to bring to the table. 

The creator middle class might just be starting to see exponential growth, but it’s projected to become another cornerstone of digital marketing. 

As more and more brands invest in the specialized content expertise of these creators, the middle-class tier will continue to expand…creating even more of a demand.

For me, I learned how much I appreciate in-person school and how absurd the idea of online public school is for my children.

The evidence?

The Atlantic ran a story about how remote learning was a bust for many children, but here’s a peek into my personal experience with at-home school.

It didn’t take long for my daughter to dream up this scheme:

Quick definition: Social commerce is when brands let customers complete their online purchases using social media platforms instead of only offering purchases via an ecommerce website. Social commerce grew so much that eMarketer nearly doubled its original 2020 forecast for social commerce growth: bumping it from 19.8% up to 37.9%. 

So how exactly can brands adapt to this shift in behavior? By integrating their existing ecommerce operations with social commerce.

At least not as it was originally conceived. As Moxie Marlinspike, founder of Signal, explained, centralization emerged in the first place because people don’t want to run their own servers. Until running your own server is as accessible as turning on your router, the promise of true decentralization will remain a fairy tale. 

In the meantime, venture capitalists will continue to pour colossal amounts of money into Web3 companies like OpenSea and Coinbase for years to come. Investors know the barrier is high for the average user to turn away from the accessibility of centralized platforms, especially when market forces are strengthening our ties to those same third parties. 

But does the delusion of decentralization even matter for creators — the artists, musicians, gamers, vloggers, and entrepreneurs who should be fairly compensated for their work? 

Probably not. Whether via Web2 or Web3 mechanisms, peer-to-peer transactions between creator and follower are normalizing as we monetize more aspects of our lives. 

Nearly every social platform is making it easier for creators to get paid, and more companies that fall outside social media want a cut of the creator economy. Twitch launched their Bits program as far back as 2016. Instagram finally made it possible to pay creators directly with badges in May 2020. Twitter launched a digital tip jar last year.  TikTok announced their Creator Next program in December 2021. Even Stripe started expanding their service for creators near the end of last year. 

While there are some important differences between on-platform payments and NFTs, for example, what matters more is the behavior Web3 ideology is normalizing: Someone like you or me likes someone else’s digital presence enough to pay them for something they created.  

In fact, what one brand might consider an influencer or a creator might not be by the same definitions of another brand—or the individual themselves–which seems to add to the confusion even more. 

The influencer has long been a staple of the social media landscape. Check out any lifestyle hashtag and you’ll scroll through endless accounts of women wearing sponsored clothing, advertising wellness supplements, or promoting a meal-sharing company. 

It wasn’t long ago when influencers were considered celebrities of the social media world. Or maybe just celebrities in general? But, as it turns out, the term influencer isn’t as desired as it once was. 

Increasingly, those with a social following (and a focus on growing their platform) now prefer to be viewed as creators rather than influencers.

Why?

Some creators feel that the term ‘influencer’ has a negative connotation. 

This Atlantic piece by Taylor Lorenz, The Real Difference Between Creators and Influencers, explores the differences between the two and—perhaps more importantly—why they’ve been set apart.

Lorenz takes us back to 2011 when the term creator started to hit the social vernacular.  

And while no one really knows where the term came from exactly, there’s a general consensus it started with bloggers and them being referred to as content creators. It’s also important to note that around this time, the phrase ‘content’ was used very broadly–from drafting up blog posts to uploading an #OOTD on Instagram. 

I’ve known Pontus for a while now and have loved watching his journey unfold, going from a kid in Sweden with no startup connections, to working in management consulting, to launching and building a business of his own.

Pontus is one of the few people you will meet who has insatiable passion and optimism. He’s progressive and forward-thinking, always thinking about ways to improve and make life better. At the same time, he’s creative and artistic in nature. What he’s building right now will play a pivotable role at the intersection of creators and brands.

So, here’s our conversation with him where we cover topics like:

Growing up in a small Swedish town…

Breaking into tech without connections…

What we mean when we say we don’t like influencers but love creators…

What it was like joining the Launch House residency in Los Angeles last year…

And his predictions for the creator economy…

Let’s dive in!

But that’s not exactly how things played out. 2021 and 2022 have proved retail is anything but dead. Some brands are even discovering that physical retail still offers many advantages that online simply can’t. 
 

Retail hasn’t died—it has evolved. Smart DTCs and brick-and-mortar stores reinvented themselves as true destination experiences... (Read more). 

After launching a little over a year ago, over 4,000 musicians, merch sellers, podcasters and video creators now use Laylo's unique landing-page-meets-fan messaging tool to send millions of messages each month. The company recently secured $5m in venture capital from big names like Eldridge, Sony Music, The Orchard, and Y Combinator.

I recently connected with Alec to discuss his entrepreneurial roots and how he started his career in the tech and music industry. He also shared his thoughts on influencers, product development, and why Laylo hasn’t had to invest in marketing yet...(Read More).

An idol and inspiration for makeup lovers across the world, Brown’s fiery entrepreneurial spirit has driven a wide range of success with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. When Brown’s 25-year non-compete agreement expired with Estée Lauder in 2020, she and her husband Steven Plofker joined forces to launch their own DTC beauty brand, Jones Road... (READ MORE).

(My favs, in case you were wondering, are Emily Zugay and Ceara O’Sullivan. I cannot even with those two.

Their TikTok comedy is a welcome burst of sunshine in bleak times, and I get as much joy from their 30-60 second videos as I do from an entire episode of SNL or 30 Rock. Sorry, Tina.)

That’s why Fanjoy CEO Chris Vaccarino went all-in on helping creators build their brands with custom merchandise. 

Working with top creators like Addison Rae, David Dobrik, Hannah Rylee, and Emily Zugay gives Vaccarino unique insights into building successful partnerships with top influencers, and the kind of content that resonates well with today’s tech-savvy generations.

I had the opportunity to interview Chris and Fanjoy’s VP of Talent, Josh “Caru” Glodoveza, to learn more about why they built this business and the power of partnering with creators in today’s economy. I learned more about the Creator Economy from Chris and Caru in this short interview than I have in a long time, and I’m excited to share their insights with you.

(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)... (READ MORE). 

Well, okay, that’s only partially true. “I do,” Singer, Alma senior marketing manager by day, brand geek and Chips + Dips newsletter proprietor by night, says with a laugh. “But I don’t really use it anymore.” Still, appreciate the exercise for a moment: If for years you surrounded yourself with a never-ending feed of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand transmissions, imagine the level of expertise you’d develop on how brands think, breathe, and behave, too.

From her home in Brooklyn, Singer discusses the types of DTC marketing tactics that really impress her, how brands should and should not show up on Instagram, and why this new intersection of brands becoming media companies—and media companies becoming brands—is a phenomenon that’s maybe not built to last. “The reality of the situation is that media companies rarely make money,” she says. “They're not impressively profitable. [But] you can make a good amount of money by selling products.”

(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)... (READ MORE).

My husband, on the other hand, is not such an easy sell. He begins the purchasing journey the same way most informed and careful consumers do—by diving deep into product research.
 

As it turns out, my snap purchasing decisions put me in the minority. When it comes to influencing purchases, what other people think about a product matters—a great deal. In fact, 99% of consumers read reviews before making an online purchase, and 98% consider them an integral part of the purchasing process... (Read more). 

Abercrombie, who left the company over explosive disagreements with his business partner Ezra Fitch, would have loved that the Abercrombie & Fitch brand continued to cater to elite classes for many years after his departure. When Ezra Fitch became convinced that the secret to company growth was to make the outdoors more accessible to the general public, Abercrombie sold his shares rather than dilute his brand for the casual outdoorsman.  

At the same time, Abercrombie may not have known what to think about the shirtless models manning his stores, the sexy ads, and a thong for young girls with the words “eye candy” printed on the front. (For one, Abercrombie was already dead when the first thongs made their appearance at the World’s Fair in New York City.)

No matter what Abercrombie would have thought about Abercrombie & Fitch’s past and current incarnations, he would have certainly enjoyed learning about the death and resurrection of a brand that just won’t give up. Keep reading to find out more about Abercrombie & Fitch’s peculiar history of success, failure, and controversy. 

Joanne shared her rapid career growth story as well as tips for new marketing professionals. She also gave a behind-the-scenes look at Jones Road’s influencer marketing and overall marketing approach. 

In fact, the latest figures show 4.5 million people voluntarily left their jobs in November 2021 alone. Health and tech have had especially high turnover rates, with a 3.6% and 4.5% increase in year-over-year resignations respectively.

So…what’s going on? Are people really dropping out of the economy completely, or are they just changing jobs? 

The statistics alone don’t tell the full story. The truth is, the economy is shifting. Employees are free to find followings online—and with those followings, they can leverage new opportunities.

Jay Clouse has seen it first-hand. Clouse worked at Smart Passive Income where he lead its Community team. He saw people quitting their jobs and becoming creators…and decided to try it out himself. 

After building a personal brand and following online, his side gig with Creative Elements eventually became too lucrative to ignore—he could either work two jobs (with the requisite time spent away from his family) or join the Great Resignation.

He says he was able to join the creator economy thanks to one important factor: his followers trusted him, which meant they were willing to support him.

CVS was founded 90 years later in 1963, but the company made up for lost time by acquiring every pharmacy-related business it gained permission to buy. CVS now operates more than 9,900 locations in the U.S. with a total revenue of $268.7 billion and a prescription drug market share of nearly 25%. 

You may be thinking the American independent pharmacy is dead in the water, but you’d be wrong. According to a March 2020 report by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), “between 2010 and 2019, the number of independent pharmacies increased by more than 2,600 stores (12.9%), whereas chains lost around 80 stores (0.2%) on average.”

So what’s really happening with large chain pharmacies? 

And he says “mum” instead of “mom.” Yep, 100% British. That’s about it.

But Hidden is more than a cute mood board on Instagram. He’s not simply a repost account. He’s a cultural curator, and as a creator, he runs a legitimate media business that competes with the old guard of fashion outlets, and he should be treated as such. His content is a blend of art, fashion, design, and cultural references, primarily in the streetwear genre.

In a few years, he’s scaled his audience to over 700,000+ Instagram followers, is Substack’s #1 Art+Fashion newsletter with thousands of paid subscribers, each of whom he’s charging at least $15 per month.

“I think [this investment] it drives home the point that a number of younger American brands are exerting significant influence in the market right now,” says Julie Zerbo, founder and editor-in-chief of The Fashion Law. To be clear, ALD has been securing the bag for a while, as they’ve consistently sold out of seasonal collections with brands like New Balance, Drake’s, Porsche, Clark’s, and Woolrich. They have carefully curated retailers who sell in their respective stores, they have a booming online business, and they’ve created a surmountable social buzz with their standalone flagship store on Mulberry Street in Soho.

NFT stands for non-fungible token.

A more descriptive name would have been “a 100% unique, non-replaceable digital asset recorded and authenticated on computer databases,” but that’s too long.

So, let’s stick with “non-fungible token” and break it down.

Token: A token is a digital asset (e.g., image, gif, video, a digital object in a video game, etc.) that lives on the blockchain.

Non-fungible: Each token (asset) is non-fungible, which is fancy talk for saying it’s 100% unique. For example, physical art is non-fungible. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is non-fungible. Michelangelo’s “David” is non-fungible. Van Gough’s “Starry Night” is non-fungible. If you’re an art collector, you could trade one masterpiece for another—but you couldn’t replicate the Mona Lisa or David. There is only one of each and will always only be one. You could have a picture of the Mona Lisa, but it’s not the actual Mona Lisa.

I’d venture to say these swells in attention can be attributed mainly to global social media growth. 
 

Stats support this idea. Most notably, the world has seen:

• A 30% increase in global internet usage
• More than half of the world active on social media
• Boosts in online social, community, and e-commerce
• A flurry of audience growth on Facebook, Instagram, and, especially, TikTok

There’s no getting around it—the world is becoming increasingly more digital, and consumers are flocking to social media with credit cards in hand/digital wallet, ready to make purchases.

Great standup comedy is about timing, delivery, and surprise — but it’s also about vulnerability. Standup comics execute vulnerability by building tension through stories rife with personal conflict, only to release that tension with a punchline that gives us permission to laugh at their misfortune.

We’re laughing with the comic, but we’re also laughing at ourselves for similar blunders. The moment we see ourselves within the comic’s vulnerability is the moment we form a connection with them.

For Amsterdam-based Scotch & Soda, it means rebranding and going on a global crusade to open dozens of directly owned stores, as well as in-store locations.

This move doesn’t make sense for all DTC brands, and in many ways, it’s a risky move. Rapid expansion and trying to reach new markets might seem daunting to most, but CEO Frederick Lukoff is ready to take things to the next level.

The brand isn’t just focused on retail offerings, either. 

As part of its expansion, Scotch & Soda aims to integrate its commerce and omnichannel offerings, too. 

This is key: retailers who face a decline in sales or foot traffic—especially once consumers get back in-store—will need to shake things up if they hope to compete with brands like Scotch & Soda.  

Now, there’s even more for brand owners and eCommerce managers to consider: port congestion, shipping container, and equipment shortages, and snarled supply chains.

While retail brands are trying to figure things out as they go, direct-to-consumer brands have had an equally stressful time trying to keep products in the hands of their customers.

It swept the internet like a freight train. If I had a dollar for every time I heard a founder on Twitter mention community, I’d be stupid rich! In the mid-late 2010s, all brands used to care about was good branding and low-cost acquisition funnels to entice customers and users. Then, suddenly, Ads became expensive, and brands were forced to start selling everywhere. Overnight, it felt like everyone was then looking for a Head of Community, or Community Manager, to cultivate relationships with an existing customer base. 

It seemed that no one cared about audiences anymore and everyone cared about tribes, dedicated groups of people who support your cause.

Community. Everyone talks about it, and yet few seem to understand it, let alone get it right. So, I’d like to introduce a few community experts into the conversation, people who actually understand what it takes to build and grow tribes of their own. Because if we’re all supposed to be building communities, we should probably know why we’re building them in the first place, and what we’re (possibly) up against.

Let’s explore…

They are all prominent figures that some of my Gen Z friends have never heard of. Ever. I know it’s mind-boggling, but there are people in this world who don’t know all the lyrics to “Shoop” by heart.

Do you know who members of Gen Z heard of, though? 

Younger megastars who rose to fame on YouTube and TikTok like Charli D'Amelio, Loren Gray, and Brent Rivera.

There’s no getting around it. Gen Z has different celebrity heroes than older generations. They also favor content that’s very different than content from a few years ago. They have grown tired of being fed polished, picture-perfect ads and have flocked to TikTok in search of something new and more authentic.

To better understand how brands can engage Gen Z; I interviewed Charlie Naus, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Carson+Doyle. 

Carson+Doyle is an agency composed solely of Gen Z employees and they work to help brands market to Gen Z audiences.

In a tweet that has since been deleted, Pabst Blue Ribbon attempted to make fun of the Dry January trend by suggesting people replace alcohol with … something else. 

What the tweet lacked in wit it made up for with virality. Some people thought it was edgy (was it?) while others took offense to the original tweet and some of the brand's replies, particularly one that quipped, “Ask your mom” when someone compared the taste of ass to Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

I loved the short bits of advice—especially:

• Don’t be the person telling yourself “no”
• Promote. If you don't promote, no one will
• Learn the mindset, patterns, habits, and systems of the creators you idolize, and incorporate those into your daily lives

But, these <280 character tweets weren’t enough to fully satiate my curiosity on how creators are thriving.

It made me want to dive deeper. 

So, I connected with some of my favorite people to get more advice about how creators can grow, find a niche, connect with brands, and be successful.

Here’s what they had to tell me.

Sounds good, right? Let’s see why the combination of content and commerce is a marriage made in heaven...(Continue). 

We’ve seen everything from individual creators experimenting with blockchain to traditional Venture Capital firms investing heavily into tools for creators.

Much of what has become the status quo in 2021 was unthinkable for both creators and brands only a few short years ago. And momentum is only growing as we move into 2022... (Continue). 

Many other social media platforms are taking note, too. We’re seeing a shift toward TikTok’s short-form, snackable video content concept with platforms shifting focus to similar offerings (like Instagram Reels, Facebook Stories, and YouTube Shorts).

In 2021 TikTok has more than a billion active users, and brands have only just started waking up to the advertising opportunities this bite-sized content platform offers when it comes to brand/consumer interactions. This platform allows brands to get in front of new audiences while giving creators a stage on which they can spotlight their individual creative talents (and achieve impressive results).

Enter Alex Foods, Casa de Fritos’ tortilla distributor. Owned by the Morales family, California immigrants from Sonora, Mexico, Alex Foods delivered ingredients to the restaurant for years. One day a salesman noticed stale tortillas in the garbage and told the kitchen they could salvage them by frying them up and serving them with seasoning. 

The salesman’s name is lost to history, but the idea itself wasn’t original. Doritos are a variation of the totopo, a tortilla that’s been fried, baked, or toasted. That nacho cheese dust, though? Yeah, that’s not a Doritos’ invention, either: James L. Kraft patented processed cheese in 1916, and with the help of Samuel Percy’s 1872 invention of spray-dried dairy products, cheese dust emerged. ... (Continue). 

While working at a shoe factory, Walgreen accidentally severed the top of his finger. The doctor who treated him convinced him to become an apprentice for a local druggist, and Walgreen soon got a job working at Horton's Drugstore...(Continue). 

From increasing brand awareness to generating millions of dollars in sales, creators and influencers have become powerful tools for brands who want help connecting with customers... (Continue). 

And resourcefulness... (Continue). 

Sweden is part of the “vodka belt”, a group of countries in Eastern and Northern Europe that produce and consume primarily spirits (as opposed to beer in Germany or wine in France)...(Continue). 

The common thread? It’s all been in tech. 

I was fortunate to start my career as the first marketing hire of a tiny startup telecommunications brand in New Zealand. We grew to become the number three brand in the market, and I spent six wonderful years there. I learned from great leaders and enjoyed incredible opportunities to test myself...(Continue). 

Sounds wacky, until it’s not. If ever there was a moment to believe that luxury fashion has a place to coexist in the metaverse, that time is now... (Continue). 

But have you ever stopped to wonder what makes fashion sustainable?...(Continue)

We wanted to create a gift guide that solved these problems, so we talked to 19 leaders in the eCommerce and DTC spaces and found their top three gift recommendations for the holiday season...(Continue).

At the time, it was normal for a football player to lose several pounds of water weight during a game. Then in 1963, University of Florida football coach Dwayne Douglas asked a simple question: Why would football players lose so much weight during practices and games … but didn’t seem to ...(Continue).

Why is this significant? You might even be thinking: isn't’ that what the platform is all about?...(Continue).

Its gorgeous glasses light up social media, with hundreds of Creators praising Zenni’s name. Its frames rest on the faces of celebs like Rashida Jones and Iris Apfel. Zenni’s logo is even on the Chicago Bulls jerseys...(Continue).

This was way back in the day—Facebook was coming up and smartphones were getting popular, and I was learning how to apply my knowledge of computers and help small to medium-sized businesses market themselves in this new online world...(Continue).

Probably not—but not because you’re a monster. You’re but a humble citizen of your nation who’s trying to get through it as much as the next person. You’re doing what you can with the resources you have. 

Also, the American government would never ask you to pay—at least not directly... (Continue)

And while that’s a good thing depending on where you see the future of your business going, there’s another thing to set your sights on that will help you get there.

Brand loyalty... (continue).

Jess Sanfilippo is the Head of Social at House of Wise. From organic to paid social, she’s worked with it all. 

But her experience with Instagram lies beyond the surface: Jess is a strategist, and she saw an opportunity with SEO... (Continue). 

I was sitting in a Discord channel with 1,500 raging crypto heads. We were waiting for a link to drop that would let us Mint an NFT before the real NFT. Think of it as the drop before the drop.

The link hit Discord and before you knew it all 888 NFTs sold out. In three minutes. Three. Minutes.

“We sold them for free”, Jeremy Booth said. He’s the ringleader behind Bushidos, a creative community that’s building projects on the blockchain, centered around the theme of samurai lore and culture. “All you had to pay were gas fees, which were about $60 that day. And the floor price for buying that same artwork has jumped well over 1 ETH (~ USD 4,000+). It’s incredible.” ... (Continue).

The more noise there is, the higher chance there is that we're losing the meaning of what makes a great cultural collab... (Continue) 

Marvel's journey started as a comic book series back in 1939. After selling more than 80,000 copies of the first issue, the creators of the comics launched the second edition—setting in motion what would become a massive brand in today's world... (Continue). 

Stats show 93% of buyers find Creator content useful when making a purchase. Want anecdotal evidence as well? This week alone, I’ve already purchased two products (a pillow and a pre-workout) that Katie recommended. Not to mention some killer sunglasses ... (Continue). 

To answer that question, you may need to ask yourself more questions. 

Think about the last time you saw an ad that made you feel something. When your brain registered that you were looking at an ad, did your emotional response change? ... (Continue). 

If you make it through the experience with your relationship intact, you can probably handle whatever life throws at you. If you make it through without yelling at each other, you should probably ... (Continue).

Relevant stats say:

• 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers
• 71% of consumers are frustrated with impersonal shopping experiences

While these stats are powerful alone, ... (Continue). 

App-based Pokémon Go offered huge lessons to brands everywhere on what happens when you combine community, offer rewards for doing certain actions, and having fun doing it. More on that in a minute ... (Continue). 

From 1848–1855, 300,000 people moved to California to make their fortune in gold. While most miners came up short in the end, the companies that supplied the exploding population with goods made a killing...(Continue). 

When I saw that Jessie was sharing tips on how to grow literally anything in the comfort of your own home, I was hooked... (Continue). 

What used to be limited to mall kiosks is now finding its way into vacant retail spaces.

We’re talking about pop-up shops, and while they seem to appeal to shoppers...(Continue).

Clean meat, otherwise known as “cultured” or “lab-grown” meat, is meat that was grown from animal stem cells. Stem cells are harvested from the muscles of an animal and fed nutrients in an external ...(Continue).

If you were fortunate enough to experience boredom as your main affliction in 2020, you may be one of the thousands of people who mastered the art of bread baking or learned how to nurture a ...(Continue).

Whether you know her as a fashion icon or an anti-Semitic Nazi collaborator, Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel left her mark on the world when she rejected convention and freed women from their corsets in the... (Continue).

Chances are you can name a few. Some of them because it meant a partnership between favourite brands or it’s ... (Continue).

There are nearly 8 billion people globally, approximately 16 billion feet, and the average shelf life of most shoes is only 8 to 12 months...(Continue).

Polaroid was founded over 75 years ago in 1937 by the American scientist and Polaroid founder Edwin Land. In 1944, Land ...(Continue)

Sort of. Building a profitable company is an infuriating process because it’s both complex and simple...(Continue).

He’s on a road trip. Not the vacation kind, the work kind. I call him and he picks up while driving in his minivan. He tells me he’s on a sneaker run...(Continue).

One morning was particularly cold, and it got me thinking about how grateful I was for the warmth of my sleeping bag... (Continue).

Like 1 of 8 kids kind of big.

Buying “new” was never an option. If I wanted clothes, I’d skim the racks of Goodwill or wait for hand-me-downs. And since...(Continue).

After years of living in NYC and going out for meals every night, my partner and I decided to start using our kitchen again.

Having been raised in a family of passionate cooks, I grew up cooking. But moving to the city for undergrad made me rebel against that. For years, I didn’t even ...(Read More).

On your side of the experience, there could be many reasons why you don’t click ‘place order.’ Maybe you found a better deal elsewhere or you impulsively add items to your shopping cart and ... (Read more).

People have never had as much choice as they do now when they’re deciding what to buy. Americans see an estimated 4,000–10,000 ads per day. Likely as a result of the swelling influx of ads, 45% of people ... (Read more). 

I still remember the aroma of dark roasted coffee every morning. I’d run downstairs and pour a bowl of cereal while my dad was on his second (or fourth?) cup. He was a Maxwell House guy. And sometimes a Folger’s fan too. I used to ... (Read more).

They remember the TikTok insta-star who saw overnight fame for their pandemic ... (Read more). 

This trend is happening for good reason: Bundles perform phenomenally... (Read more). 

Perception.

Removing the middleman has long created a perception ... (Read more). 

To top it off, once you take your sweaty mask off and finish unloading ... (Read more). 

My friend Sakari Manninen and I had come from Finland to America for a ... (Read more).

Maybe you thought: who in the hell would wait hours in ... (Read more).

Those skinny jeans you wore before the world transitioned to sweatpants? Deeply ... (Read more). 

Contrary to the passionate founder lore that seems almost ubiquitous within the startup world ... (Read more). 

Smaller businesses, in particular, are looking ... (Read more). 

Yes, we see tons of influencers living lavish lifestyles, working with the industry's biggest names, and earning millions. But for the vast majority, making a living from being ... (Read more). 

The problem is that brands don’t sell the products they source for the same prices they pay for them. To make a profit they mark their prices way up, meaning ... (Read more). 

In MeUndies membership time, that’s more than four years of brand loyalty and a drawer overflowing with MicroModal, “softer-than-soft” underwear. Some people have replaced ... (Read more). 

Combating energy waste became a massive movement that saw large players like Nest, Ecobee, and Google enter the fray. Competition increased as brands ...(Read more). 

You get something called ... (Read more). 

For many eComm retailers, that’s a lost opportunity. Packaging is the first physical touchpoint between your business and your customer. Plus, it’s the only marketing channel ... (Read more). 

In fact, the number of companies investing ...(Read more). 

The numbers are jaw-dropping when it comes to TikTok. They have ... (Read more). 

In April, Poolside FM, an app and internet radio station that transports you back in time with its 80’s aesthetics and upbeat beachside music, crossed over to the physical product realm in the ... (Read more). 

It’s an old marketing adage that’s finding new relevance for DTC founders and marketers who rely on paid social for a huge chunk of their revenue. 

Paid social is a ... (Read More). 

Four years ago, I was living in NYC, was the marketing VP at a major wedding brand, had three kids under five, and was in the middle of a divorce. I was ... (Read more).

I could soon own a fraction of Michael Jordan’s game-worn sneakers from his rookie season, or a first-edition signed copy of The Great Gatsby, or the rarest ... (Read more).

As such, most ecommerce marketers are looking for ways to get additional mileage out of the content they already have on hand. The question is... (Read more)

At the time, there weren’t a lot of digitally native brands like this. I took zero outside funding. I didn’t use any flashy advertising tactics. Much of ... (Read more)

But with change comes opportunity. The loss of one channel as you’ve come to rely on it is a chance to build a new pipeline. 
 

Depending on your product and category, community building—or, in some cases, community listening—may be the long-term play that can make up for some of the short-term revenue loss... (Read more)

The Beastie Boys are a couple of girl-crazy high schoolers looking for a DJ to run their next show in lower Manhattan. A friend convinces them he “knows a guy” and guides them to a random dorm room at NYU. They knock on a door... (Read more)

It used to be: “I read about…” 

These days, you’re more likely to hear: “I heard about…”

Why the difference? 

The answer is simple. We like to say “heard” when... (Read more) 

Customers recognize this, too. Products marketed...(Read more)

I think some wires in my brain crossed. I was 100% in.

I’m now co-founder and co-CEO of Jambys, a company specializing in those aforementioned (unisex) boxers with pockets, as well as several other highly comfortable variations of what we... (Read more)

I’ve known Emmett for a few years now and have loved watching his journey unfold, from the glory days of Gin Lane, where he launched other people’s brands... (read more)

What are they offering? Subscriptions... (read more)

Maya Higa is a Twitch streamer of another kind: She doesn’t play video games. 

Now known as a conservationist and falconer, Higa started her Twitch channel in 2019 after a few friends saw her singing videos on Instagram and encouraged her to start live streaming. Now, as of this writing, she has 418... (read more)

However, some brands are trying to maximize their top-of-funnel marketing. Several marketers in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) space are reimagining what top of funnel ad content should look like, experimenting with user-generated content (UGC) along with their ... (Read more)

Actors moved to Hollywood to chase their dreams. 

Models relied on agents to book photoshoots.

Musicians needed record labels to write.

Writers needed publishers for book deals or newspapers for distribution.

Then computers came along. And cell phones. Suddenly, sharing information was democratized, and with it came the rise of new platforms, products, apps, and ways of consuming content, which democratized influence.

The 2000s gave us WordPress and Tumblr.

The 2010s brought us Instagram and TikTok.

Meanwhile, other products came and went (RIP Path, MySpace, and Vine).

As the mediums have changed over the decades, one thing has remained: influence.

The rise of influencers on Instagram during the 2010s--who solely relied on affiliate marketing and charging obscene amounts of moolah for a single post about a brand--made them walking billboards.

But we’re entering a new chapter with “influence.” People aren’t simply billboards; they’re Creators.

... Read the full article

Read the full article on Banknotes: https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/6-dtc-super-bowl-ads-that-prove-tvs-not-dead

“DRAKE IS PLAYING FORTNITE...WITH NINJA...ON TWITCH...RIGHT NOW…” 

For gamers, the hysteria was real. It’s not every day that you get to watch one of the largest names in music play a free video game that you enjoy live. But for Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Twitch, and Fortnite, this moment was bigger than the 600,000 viewers it attracted. 
 

Read the full article on Banknotes: https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/ninja-drake-fortnite-twitch-streaming

Its beauty calls to you: Touch me. Caress me. Cook something delicious with me.
 

You want to feel its terracotta texture under your fingertips. You want it to reproduce your grandmother’s signature dish. You want it to help you become the master chef-in-quarantine you know you can be. 
 

It’s called The Always Pan. And it seems like it’s everywhere, all the time. 

Read the full article here: https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/how-the-always-pan-inspires-authentic-user-generated-content