Vending machine launched that can detect things Gen Z find most annoying

Open-mouth coughing, queue jumpers, and not getting a ‘thanks’ after holding the door open for someone. Just some of the everyday bugbears that annoy the hell out of Gen Z, according to new research from Sprite. 

21% said that they get rattled when they hear music being played on a phone without headphones, while 22% say people putting their feet on seats on the train really gets their goat. 

Also on the list is getting stuck behind people who walk at snail's...

Tesco Media and Insight Platform launches media partnership with Pinterest

Tesco Media and Insight Platform, powered by dunnhumby, has launched an offsite media partnership with Pinterest, the world’s largest visual discovery engine.

This partnership will allow the UK’s leading CPG brands to connect with Tesco customers who are looking for inspiration on Pinterest, using Tesco Clubcard data and dunnhumby’s analytical expertise to deliver highly relevant and personalised ads.

The power of Pinterest

The UK is one of Pinterest’s...

Brands spent $673bn on social media ads in five years

With 75% of Gen Zers and almost half of Millennials making purchasing decisions influenced by social media ads, it`s no wonder brands and companies continue pouring money into this type of advertising.

According to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io, brands worldwide have spent a whopping $673bn on social media ads in the past five years, and the figure keeps on rising.

Annual Social Media Ad Spending has Almost Tripled Since 2018

Over the past decade, social...

Investment in social media is ‘critical for long-term success’

Spocial media apps on a smartphone

80% of business leaders anticipate their company’s social media budget to increase over the next three years as 93% agree social media data and insights will be a primary source of business intelligence moving forward.

This is according to new research from Sprout Social, a provider of social media management software, conducted by The Harris Poll.

The report, The 2023 State of Social Media: AI & Data Take Center Stage, shows nearly every executive understands the...

Retailers feel there are too many channels to effectively sell through

A TV remote control.

Online shopping has never been more convenient for consumers, who have access to a plethora of channels through which to engage with their favourite brands.

However, this same variety is confounding retailers, with 47% saying there are simply too many channels for them to effectively deliver the best sales experience.

This is according to Wunderman Thompson Commerce & Technology’s “Brands don’t fail... eRetail!” report, which found nearly all (94%) retail...

Bye-bye search engines – social media is taking over

Spocial media apps on a smartphone

82% of businesses believe that consumers will find brands using social media rather than traditional search engines, according to HubSpot's recent Social Media Report.

With 70% of brands selling products directly via social media, and nearly 80% buying advertising on the big four platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok), it's clear that businesses are seeing the value in reaching consumers on these channels. 

Cemented by the death of telephone customer...

Braze native WhatsApp messaging helps build customer relationships

Someone using WhatsApp on their phone.

Braze, a customer engagement platform that powers interactions between consumers and the brands, has made native support for messaging channel WhatsApp generally available.

Through this direct integration with WhatsApp, which had more than two billion active users as of 2022, marketers will be able to create, orchestrate, and send WhatsApp campaigns directly from the Braze platform to strengthen customer relationships with context-rich conversational messaging that can drive...

The European countries most reliant on social media revealed

New research has revealed the European countries most reliant on social media, with Cyprus coming out on top.

The study, conducted by gaming site AskGamblers, analysed the latest available usage data for Facebook, Instagram and Messenger to see which countries had the highest share of users compared to the population.

It found that Iceland is the European country most reliant on social media, with a score of 98.14 out of 100 for social media usage. The country has...

Pinterest launches Pinterest Academy e-learning platform for advertisers

Pinterest has introduced its latest edition of Pinterest Academy, a compelling interactive e-learning platform covering everything advertisers need to know to engage and inspire their target audiences on the platform.

Pinterest claims to offer unique and valuable differentiation for advertisers - where people come with intent and are looking to shop. People come to Pinterest early in their decision-making journey with the intent to discover ideas to both purchase and do, so ads...

Brave Bison acquires market-leading social media agency Social Chain

Brave Bison, a media, marketing, and technology company built for the new era, today announces its fourth acquisition: of Social Chain, a market-leading social media and influencer marketing agency founded by Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, for over $20m.

Since its foundation in 2014, Manchester-based Social Chain has made waves in the industry. The agency has gone from building some of the biggest communities in social and disrupting the market, to becoming one of...