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Every week on Trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey dives into what’s buzzing in social media and why it issues for actual property professionals. From viral traits to platform modifications, she’ll break all of it down so you already know what’s value your time — and what’s not.
The Tremendous Bowl isn’t nearly soccer — it’s a masterclass in media, advertising and marketing and tradition. From high-stakes advert campaigns to viral moments and meme-worthy performances, the largest manufacturers on the earth compete for consideration. Some manufacturers land a landing with their messaging, whereas others fumble, proving that viewers notion is every part.
This 12 months, we noticed manufacturers like Nike and Jeep make a powerful assertion by sticking to their values, whereas Poppi’s over-the-top influencer marketing campaign fell flat. Even meme tradition wasn’t resistant to missteps, with some firms speeding to capitalize on Kendrick Lamar’s halftime present with out understanding its full context.
Past the Tremendous Bowl, media literacy stays crucial as deepfakes change into tougher to identify, Black Historical past Month highlights discussions on respectful, genuine content material, and Instagram makes a small however significant replace to Reels.
In the meantime, Meta’s Threads continues to broaden its attain, and BuzzFeed is making a daring transfer by launching a brand new social media platform designed to interrupt free from the negativity-driven engagement fashions we’ve come to anticipate.
Tremendous Bowl Sunday and media literacy: A first-rate time take a look at
The Tremendous Bowl is among the most generally watched packages yearly, providing manufacturers an enormous viewers to seize — if they’ve the price range and creativity to face out. This 12 months, a number of manufacturers made a big affect, whereas others missed the mark.
Winners: Nike and Jeep
Nike made a notable return after 27 years, airing a robust advert that emphasised girls’s sports activities. The black-and-white cinematic model highlighted outstanding feminine athletes, delivering a powerful message of perseverance and confidence.
Jeep’s industrial featured movie legend Harrison Ford, delivering an inspirational message about freedom and selection. The advert resonated with audiences, successfully aligning with Jeep’s model values.
Lesson from the winners: Persist with your values, fiercely
Each Nike and Jeep boldly offered worth statements that have been well-aligned with their model identities. In in the present day’s polarized setting, authenticity is essential. Clearly articulating your model’s stance can garner extra help than making an attempt to please everybody. Relatively than participating in political debates, reaffirm what your model stands for, as Nike did by specializing in empowerment and perseverance.
Loser: Poppi
Poppi, a prebiotic soda model, confronted backlash not only for its Tremendous Bowl advert however for the influencer marketing campaign surrounding it. The model aired its second-ever Tremendous Bowl industrial, “Soda Thoughts,” that includes a number of content material creators. To have a good time, Poppi despatched greater than 32 custom-made, shiny pink merchandising machines — absolutely stocked with its soda — to pick influencers and the wives and girlfriends of well-known athletes (WAGs), in response to Adweek.
Influencer gifting is often a straightforward manner for manufacturers to generate goodwill, however this marketing campaign backfired. The extravagant nature of the gifting irritated many TikTok customers, who felt the hassle was out of contact with Poppi’s model picture.
“Spent millions for a Super Bowl ad, then sent vending machines to already rich influencers,” one TikTok person commented on a Poppi publish. “What happened to regular everyday people you use[d] to care about?” One other TikTok person, Jade Jarvis, echoed this sentiment: “Seeing these influencers get these Poppi vending machines just makes me never want to buy a Poppi ever again.”
The backlash grew additional when Poppi’s competitor, Olipop, inserted itself into the discourse, leaving feedback that solely fueled damaging reactions.
Lesson from the loser: Don’t strive too exhausting
Poppi’s marketing campaign highlights the dangers of misreading viewers sentiment. Whereas gifting high-profile influencers can enhance visibility, extravagant advertising and marketing efforts can alienate core prospects in the event that they really feel excluded. The response reveals that customers worth authenticity and relatability over flashy PR stunts. A extra inclusive strategy — like participating on a regular basis shoppers as a substitute of simply celebrities — may have helped Poppi strengthen model loyalty moderately than spark backlash.
Tremendous Bowl memes: A reminder to verify the context
The Tremendous Bowl all the time generates a flood of memes, however not all manufacturers perceive the complete context earlier than leaping on viral traits. Kendrick Lamar’s halftime efficiency, which carried deep private and cultural significance, was misinterpreted by a number of firms that rapidly turned clips into lighthearted memes — solely to face backlash.
When participating in real-time advertising and marketing, manufacturers must pause and verify the context earlier than posting. What would possibly look like a straightforward engagement win can backfire if it misses the deeper that means behind a cultural second. Not each viral second wants a model tie-in, and failing to learn the room can injury credibility.
Deepfakes are getting tougher to identify, however new instruments are rising
AI-generated deepfakes have gotten more and more refined, making it tougher to differentiate between actual and manipulated content material. Throughout election seasons, these fabrications can unfold misinformation quickly, influencing public opinion and damaging reputations. Now, new detection instruments are rising to fight the risk.
One standout resolution is BitMind, a decentralized deepfake detection system providing free, easy-to-use instruments. BitMind’s AI Detector App, Chrome extension, and X/Twitter bot enable customers to confirm whether or not a picture is AI-generated rapidly. Designed by former engineers from Amazon, Poshmark and Ledgersafe, these instruments assist protect the credibility of digital media by flagging manipulated photos in real-time.
As deep pretend know-how evolves, so should digital literacy. Instruments like BitMind can help in recognizing AI-generated fraud, however crucial pondering stays key. Earlier than sharing viral photos or movies, customers ought to confirm sources, analyze inconsistencies and think about the intent behind the content material. In a digital panorama the place belief is more and more fragile, media literacy and AI detection go hand in hand.
Black Historical past Month and media literacy
As extra firms cut back range, fairness, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, shoppers have gotten extra skeptical of company activism. However DEIA isn’t disappearing — it’s evolving. Firms like Costco, Apple, and JPMorgan Chase proceed to put money into inclusive methods, recognizing that range isn’t simply moral — it’s a aggressive benefit.
Cultural heritage months like Black Historical past Month present manufacturers with a chance to have interaction meaningfully, however a one-time publish isn’t sufficient. Shoppers anticipate manufacturers to amplify Black voices, help Black creators, and combine DEIA efforts into their long-term methods.
Media literacy performs a vital position in how manufacturers strategy Black Historical past Month. Understanding the historic and cultural context earlier than posting is important — superficial or misinformed content material can simply be seen as performative or tone-deaf.
Manufacturers ought to analysis and take heed to Black voices moderately than depend on traits or generic statements. Utilizing social listening instruments, consulting numerous groups, and fascinating with Black-owned companies can assist create extra intentional, significant content material.
Black Historical past Month must be a place to begin, not a stand-alone advertising and marketing second. Shoppers need manufacturers to point out actual dedication — by means of hiring practices, provider range, and long-term partnerships. Firms that take the time to teach themselves and create culturally knowledgeable content material will construct stronger, extra loyal communities.
BuzzFeed’s large guess: A brand new social platform that rejects SNARF
BuzzFeed is taking over Meta and TikTok with a daring new imaginative and prescient for social media. Final week, the corporate teased plans to launch a brand new, extra optimistic social platform. Now, a touchdown web page and a manifesto have been launched, outlining their aim: to create an anti-SNARF (Stakes/Novelty/Anger/Retention/Concern) platform.
The manifesto criticizes the best way conventional social media platforms thrive on outrage, worry and excessive engagement ways. As an alternative, BuzzFeed envisions an area the place content material fosters connection and leisure with out counting on damaging feelings to maintain customers hooked.
It’s an bold transfer, particularly in an period when platforms depend on engagement-driven algorithms. However with audiences rising weary of doomscrolling and poisonous interactions, a shift towards extra conscious digital areas may acquire traction. Whether or not BuzzFeed’s platform can really compete with Meta and TikTok stays to be seen, nevertheless it’s actually value watching.
Takeaways for actual property professionals
- Authenticity wins large: Nike and Jeep’s Tremendous Bowl success proves that clear, value-driven messaging resonates greater than making an attempt to attraction to everybody.
- Don’t overdo it: Poppi’s influencer marketing campaign reveals that extreme advertising and marketing efforts can really feel out of contact and alienate shoppers.
- Assume earlier than you meme: Manufacturers that misinterpreted Kendrick Lamar’s halftime present confronted backlash, highlighting the necessity to perceive the cultural context earlier than posting.
- Be vigilant about misinformation: With deepfakes on the rise, verifying sources earlier than sharing content material is extra essential than ever.
- Engagement is evolving: Threads is rising, Instagram has added a pause characteristic for Reels, and BuzzFeed is pushing for a social media shift — early adopters will profit probably the most.
Social media strikes quick, however leaping on a pattern with out understanding its context can do extra hurt than good. Manufacturers that take the time to evaluate whether or not a pattern aligns with their values — and whether or not they really perceive its cultural significance — will keep away from pricey missteps. Staying knowledgeable on platform updates, media literacy, and viewers expectations issues, however actual success comes from considerate, genuine engagement, not simply being first.
Jessi Healey is a contract author and social media supervisor specializing in actual property. Discover her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.
