Welcome to this week’s FWD. In the week of the 2020 Super Bowl we saw these ads compete to win the battle for share of social voice. All of the online giants took part, with Facebook pushing Groups, Amazon imagining a life #BeforeAlexa (and becoming the most watched ad on YouTube during the game) and US telco, Sprint, opting for a Dudewithasign in the crowd instead of a TV ad. Lastly, Planters tripped up with their attempts at a viral stunt.
- Didn’t get an invite to the Oscars this year? Verizon has you covered. As they brought the Oscars red carpet to life via this 5G user experience
- Despite a record 24 nominations, Netflix only walked away with 2 awards at this years Oscars. However you could see more Netflix films feature in the theaters in future. Here’s why
- Facebook are set to shut down their Facebook Audience Network mobile arm from April 2020
- Contemplating a spring clean of your Instagram feed? The social media giant has launched a new feature that enables you to see the most visible accounts in your Instagram feed
- Verizon have launched their first international 5G production lab, outside the US, in London
- Reuters have built a prototype for automated news videos using Deepfakes tech
- Facebook is still the number 1 social platform for Millennials and Gen Zs. With 77% of users claiming to use the platform daily
- Instagram brought in more ad revenue than YouTube alone in 2019, by a whopping $5 billion
- Instagram may soon allow IGTV video creators to monetize their videos with paid Ads
- Paramount rolls out Snapchat AR Lenses to promote Sonic the Hedgehog movie
- The International Red Cross (ICRC) partnered with hit video game Fortnite to launch Liferun: a spin-off game mode showcasing the work its workers do to help civilians in conflict zones
- Sony partners with TikTok to bring you the ‘most epic TikTok ever made (LIKE EVER)’. Watch it here
- Barcode fest, anyone? These modified scanners let you play techno music using barcodes
- TikTok plans to increase efforts to promote its brand this year, particularly around large sports events
- Voice shopping continues to grow, albeit at a slower rate than previously expected
- The IPA release their ‘Making sense. The Commercial Media Landscape’ report