Brief #52: Artificial Intelligence in social

Welcome to Future of Marketing.

Each week, we send you the most relevant trends, resources, and strategies in social and user-generated content (UGC) from leading marketers and brands around the globe.

Today, we’re discussing…

  • Third-generation social media 
  • Quotable moments from our virtual event with Hootsuite
  • How Shanghai-based Cartier amassed 895,000 followers in 10 months

Third-generation social media

Wondering where the future is heading? Look no further than China. 

QR codes, live streaming, short-form video, shoppable content – they’re light years ahead of most other countries. 

In this article by Jing Daily, Arnold Ma discussed “third-generation social media” – platforms that don’t require users to build a network to share content because their feeds blend social networks with Artificial Intelligence.

TikTok’s “For You” page is a good example of third-generation social media. Artificial intelligence teaches the platform what content you enjoy, share, and resonate with – and then, it feeds you more of that user-generated content (UGC). 

That’s not to say all brands should start a TikTok account, but instead, study these platforms and the content that is being shared within each one. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so will the content your audience shares. 

Keep up by using UGC to search for cues and feedback that can guide your future content strategies. 

State of UGC Virtual Panel Recap

Special shout out to Sarah Dawley, Content Manager at Hootsuite – and those who joined us on LinkedIn Live to discuss the State of UGC 2021. Bonus points to those who tweeted about it! You can catch the replay here

Let’s practice what we preach and re-share our own UGC from the event. Here are some quotable moments we caught: 

“Your customers are now your influencers. Your employees are now your influencers.”

@ivonnealdazz

This is a quick reminder that influencers are more than paid celebrities and people who amassed millions of followers. Keep your team and customers happy – they are the closest and most powerful influencers you have.

“Omnichannel does not mean every channel.”

@sarahdawley

You need to understand each platform – how people consume and share content on each one – and identify the right ones to connect with your audience in a meaningful way. 

Hint: Practice social listening to guide you in the right direction. Social listening goes beyond brand mentions and hashtags – it helps you understand your customers’ and team’s sentiment (is content happy, sad, angry, confused?), and where/how/why conversations are happening. 

If you STILL haven’t read the State of UGC 2021, download it here.

What we’re learning

#brandcrush: Cartier

The French brand, Cartier introduced their brand to China in 1992 with one store – and in January 2020, transitioned into China’s eCommerce space with a flagship experience to draw people in. 

Within 10 months of launching, Cartier gained 895,000 followers

To promote their new “PASHA DE Cartier” watch series, Cartier launched the “Make your own path” campaign in China – which embraces third-generation social media and UGC.

Essentially, Cartier asked eight artists to share their experiences and ideas of how to break boundaries – and used these insights to inspire Cartier’s younger audience to embrace creativity (and create UGC). 

“They also produced art and displayed it at prominent Shanghai landmarks,” shared Dao Insights. “People were able to book viewings via Cartier’s WeChat mini program. And Cartier also hosted a special exhibition at the Shanghai Power Station of Art based around the campaign’s theme.“ 

The #Makeyourownpath hashtag reached 210 million views and 875,000 comments on Weibo (as of November 2020).

Cartier also collaborated with musicians to host a Livestream “night party,” and asked fans to show off their dance moves on social media.

Overall, Cartier considered multiple distribution channels to promote the campaign and reeled people in with strategic collaborations and hybrid events – a combination of digital and physical experiences. 

And that’s where we’re heading…