McDonald’s pulls controversial video ad about child bereavement
McDonald’s has withdrawn a controversial video ad after a huge social media backlash, with one charity accusing it of exploiting child bereavement.
Social
Snapchat rolls out “Max Reach” feature in UK and France
Snapchat’s Max Reach feature has been rolled out in the UK and France, allowing brands to reach every user of the app with their digital advertising.
App trends: Communications and social increasingly dominate app time
The app sector is like a “clogged pipe”, where social and communication apps dominate most people’s time, while other sectors will be left to “fight over the scraps”, according to a new report.
Snapchat “Sponsored World Lens” turns 3D augmented reality into ads
Snapchat is launching a new promotional Lenses ad format that lets advertisers superimpose corporate logos on their photos and videos.
Facebook boosts 360 videos with Blend Media partnership
Facebook has stuck a deal with Blend Media, to produce a “creator community” of experts for its 360 videos.
Influencer marketing: How much do celebrities earn for social media posts?
As more brands flock to celebrities and YouTube stars to promote their products on social media, just how much do these influencers earn? New research uncovers some key data.
Playing politics with big data: What can marketers learn from Trump and Brexit?
What happens when you mix big data and politics? An explosive article in last weekend’s Guardian investigated the links between Brexit, Trump and a data mining firm called Cambridge Analytica. But did it uncover a shady political coup or the logical (and legal) next step in campaigning?
Japan’s Softbank invests $500m in Improbable to create “VR cities”
London-based virtual reality firm Improbable has raised $500m (£388m) in one of the biggest investments in an early stage European technology business. Japan’s Softbank is backing Improbable in a funding round that values the business at more than $1bn. The deal gives SoftBank a “non-controlling” stake in the company, valuing it over the $1bn magical … [Read more…]
Rise of reviews: 75% of UK shoppers trust other customers over retail staff
Despite retailers’ best efforts to improve customer experience and engagement, research by conversational commerce platform iAdvize has found that the majority of UK consumers look to peers when making a purchasing decision, rather than the retailer or brand.
Chatbots “could save billions” for UK industries
Chatbots could save businesses billions of pounds, with banks and healthcare gaining the biggest cost savings.