Weekly Trends
It’s Storytime!
Why it matters
Let me tell you a story. It starts with the old guard realizing things are changing, finding themselves in a brave new world, and rushing to adapt. We’re not sure how it ends yet– it’s a work in progress– but we hope you enjoy it. This week’s RED Alert looks at the new storytellers.
CREATIVES THESE DAYS…
Casey Neistat Celebrates Creatives by Reminding Us to Do What You Can’t
Fresh off a Samsung commercial introducing Hollywood to the new generation of creators that aired during last month’s Academy Awards, YouTube personality Casey Neistat is back to celebrate the achievements of digital makers in a brand new inspirational montage. His message: Do what you can’t. Ignore the haters. Stay the course, keep creating, and do what it takes to pursue your passion. Go ahead, watch it. We’ll wait.
CNN Chief Jeff Zucker Unveils Plan to Dominate Digital: New Shows, a $25M YouTuber and Donald Trump
Before CNN paid a whopping $25 million to acquire Casey Neistat-owned startup Beme, CNN’s president Jeff Zucker learned about Neistat through his 16-year-old son, who called him “the only person who matters in media.” While CNN’s cable channel still defines the brand, growth is coming from digital. That means attracting younger viewers, and acquiring the kind of talent that appeals to them. It also means giving creative people the autonomy to execute their vision. THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER examines CNN’s bold plan to dominate digital.
It’s Storytime: Inside the strange world of YouTube Confessionals
CNN’s success will hinge on its ability to appeal to a new generation of online content consumers– after all, the average age of a CNN.com visitor is 48. And there may be no better illustration of the content divide than Storytime videos: “Storytime videos are winding monologues about a salacious event in someone’s life. There’s a storytime video about nearly every experience that could ever happen to a person, from funny (“I Sexted Someone On Accident”) to serious (“My Roommate Committed Suicide”). Storytime videos are formulaic. The thumbnail is usually blocky and brightly colored, like a children’s book, and it always has a picture of the YouTuber with an over-the-top expression on their face.” Sounds exhilarating. From THE OUTLINE: Grab a snack and settle in to watch YouTubers mine from their trove of dramatic anecdotes.
WHO RUNS THE WORLD?
Perspectives from Women in Advertising
In honor of International Women’s Day, AdForum is showcasing the achievements and reflections of women in advertising through a series of interviews (including one with a complete badass, RED Interactive’s own Ellen Wong). Check out Ellen’s interview before hearing from other influential women in the industry.
More from International Women’s Day:
The untold stories of women who moved the world forward
19 Women Leading Math and Physics
WHO COPIES THE COPYCATS?
Facebook Messenger’s ‘Day’ Becomes Third Clone of Snapchat Stories
It worked for Instagram, right? On Facebook’s mobile chat app, Messenger, users can now post to a feature called Day to broadcast annotated photos and videos of their life that disappear in 24 hours. Seem familiar? It should. Facebook is mimicking the way people communicate on Snapchat across all its properties as it works to keep up with what users might want — and to prevent them from shifting their attention to its competitor’s app.
More on social clones:
Read RED’s latest POV on differentiating these social clones
Instagram Stories launches geostickers as its Snap attack continues
Here are all the ways Facebook has copied Snapchat
