BeReal attempts to maintain user interest with new app features
Despite the app reaching 73 million monthly active users last year, BeReal is struggling to keep up the hype – it was praised for its authenticity, but with limited engagement and advertising opportunities available in the app, the praise began to die out. Downloads have dropped significantly since its peak in August, especially after apps like TikTok and Instagram jumped on the trend and created their own versions. The app is now testing out new functionalities to try and revive interest, including integration with Spotify and a “Bonus BeReal” – where you can share two more BeReals a day if you post on time.
Why is this important?
During the peak of BeReal’s success, the app was once valued at $600 million – this shows that market valuations don’t always reflect the state of the app space accurately, and a high valuation isn’t always an indication that the app will stick around. We’ve seen it before with BeReal’s predecessor, Clubhouse – an audio social platform that was once valued at $4 billion, but usage of that app has declined significantly since audiences have lost interest in social audio elements. Read more.
GambleAware campaign tackles stigma around gambling harms
“Let’s open up about gambling” is a new campaign from GambleAware which aims to combat the stigmas that surround gambling harms. In a cross-agency collaboration between Lucky Generals, Freuds+, Omnigov, 23red, Flipside and Ipsos, the campaign features a series of TV ads that illustrate the real experiences of people who have been affected by gambling. The films make comparisons between these difficult emotions to feeling tied up in knots, unable to focus or experiencing a heavy weight on one’s shoulders, featuring interviews with people who have experienced gambling addiction along with the impact it has on people’s lives.
Why is this important?
The push to tackle the issues surrounding gambling addiction comes from the latest figures from the annual “Treatment and Support Survey” which found that 75% of people experiencing gambling issues felt like they could not open up about their struggles, one in four people also thought that they knew someone who had experienced problems with gambling. The chief communications officer at GambleAware stated that “Gambling has been a ‘hidden addiction’ for too long, with feelings of shame, embarrassment and guilt preventing people from opening up to loved ones about the issue.” This campaign has real people with real stories at it’s heart, encouraging a bigger conversation around gambling addictions. Read more.
Google announces new validations for ad account names
Beginning in June 2023, new Google Ads accounts will no longer be able to include a URL in their account names. Specifically, when creating a new Google Ads account through the Google Ads API or updating an existing one, if a URL is found in the descriptive name field an ‘ACTION_NOT_PERMITTED’ error will be generated, causing the operation to fail. This change however will not impact the descriptive name field of existing accounts.
Why is this important?
Adhering to new naming conventions is crucial to maintaining a seamless ad experience. By adhering to the new rules, advertisers can avoid encountering errors when creating or updating their accounts, ensuring a smooth account setup process, preventing potential delays in launching campaigns, and fostering a more organized and consistent naming convention across the platform. Read more.
Campaign of the Week: Sky Media and Volvo explore the importance of safety for stunt artists
Volvo’s new campaign - which sees unique branded content airing on Sky Atlantic, as a product of their decade-long partnership - highlights and explores the importance of psychological safety for stunt artists. It stars stunt professional Mens-Sana Tamakloe to drive home the message – he’s the double of Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù for his lead role in Gangs of London, one of Sky’s most popular dramas. According to Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media, the show “provides the perfect context to connect Volvo’s safety features with fascinating stories from Gangs’ stunt workers.” The message plays a key role in Volvo’s marketing, as they are renowned for safety inside and out of the car with their Safe Space technology.
The branded content, created by Sky’s in-house production team, will also be shared on Sky’s Youtube Channel and supported by a wider media campaign across BVOD, SFVOD, Linear, Sky Advance, Adsmart from Sky and Sky’s social channels
