Ad industry pioneer boldly declares trending tool as the "preeminent holy grail" among advertising products.

Ad industry pioneer boldly declares trending tool as the "preeminent holy grail" among advertising products.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), X CEO Linda Yaccarino unveiled the company's new advertising tool, Trend Genius, as a potential game-changer in the industry. Yaccarino described Trend Genius as the Holy Grail of advertising products, capable of automatically posting pre-programmed ads when topics relevant to them start trending on X.

This innovative feature allows advertisers to send out ads at opportune moments, turning them off once discussions subside. Yaccarino offered examples of LVMH leveraging Trend Genius during its beta testing phase, deploying campaigns featuring Bradley Cooper and Zendaya in response to viral topics and award show rumors.

Brittany Wickerson, global head of media at We Are Social, emphasized the significance of fast and customized creative responses from brands to keep pace with trends. According to Wickerson, while Trend Genius may boost visibility, the responsibility for creating engaging content still lies with the brands. She noted that some topics can be anticipated (e.g., the Olympics), but others are fluid and challenging to harness (e.g., Charli XCX's Brat marketing campaign).

Wickerson further commented on the limitations of pre-programmed ads, stating that they may work well for predictable trends but struggle to anticipate the majority of them. Platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and LinkedIn offer features designed to engage various audiences around trends and topics, which might present additional challenges for X's ad product.

Questions arise regarding the appeal of hyper-relevant ads to social media users. Shauna Moran, customer trends manager at GWI, indicated that approximately one in five Brits desire ads tailored to their identities or interests, making a tool like Trend Genius likely to attract marketers' attention. However, Moran also mentioned that advertisers might approach the product with a degree of skepticism.

Moran argues that consumers prefer entertaining ads over highly relevant ones and are more receptive to marketing on video-based apps rather than text-based ones. Moreover, she highlighted the potential concerns of brands regarding the content their ads might be displayed alongside, such as the increase in disturbing content, far-right conspiracy theories, and racism on X following Elon Musk's acquisition.

Brand safety and creative control remain critical concerns for advertisers. Wickerson explained that the potential impact of AI on trending topics might create uncertainty about authenticity, increasing the risk of X's proposition becoming a liability. Ensuring creative control is crucial for safeguarding brand equity in an increasingly complex social media landscape.

Yaccarino claimed that Trend Genius offers capabilities unique to X, with no viable alternatives available. However, other platforms like Reddit and Bluesky are stepping up their trend-tracking efforts. Reddit recently introduced Reddit Pro Trends, while Bluesky is testing its own version of trending topics. Moran speculated that X's move may prompt other platforms to distinctly focus on comments sections, where valuable conversations often take place.

Sources:[1] Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 press release, Consumer Technology Association. [2] Lindstrom, J. (2022). "Twitter Trend Takeovers™" Empowers Brands to Hitch a Ride on Popular Conversations. Brand Channel. [3] Wickerson, B. (2022). The Future of Social media: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges for Brands. We Are Social. [4] Wu, J. (2022). Twitter Engagement Metrics: Meaning, Uses, and Interpretation. Hubspot. [5] dal Zotto, L. (2022). Twitter's Trend Takeovers: How Brands Can Win With Size and Scale. Marin Software.

1. The media and marketing industry is watching X's new ad tool, Trend Genius, introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), eagerly, as it promises to revolutionize advertising by automatically posting pre-programmed ads when relevant topics start trending.
2. Trend Genius' innovative feature allows advertisers to capitalize on opportune moments, automatically turning off ads once discussions subside, a strategy that could increase visibility and engagement for brands.
3. While the potential benefits of Trend Genius are being discussed, concerns about brand safety and creative control persist, as some social media users may find disturbing content, far-right conspiracy theories, and racism increasingly prevalent following Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform.
4. As X's Trend Genius faces competition from platforms like Reddit and Bluesky, increasing focus on comments sections could become a trend, offering valuable insights and conversations for brands looking to stay ahead in the ever-changing social media landscape.

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