The BrainTrust Quarterly - Issue Five - January 2018

QUARTERLY

January 2018

Thinking Ahead Spotlighting The Best of 2017 & Projecting The Best for 2018

January 2018

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Letter from the Founder Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Chief Digital Officer, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

I

am blessed and extremely fortunate to have stepped out as

an entrepreneur over eight years ago when I co-founded my first company, Digital Brand Architects (DBA), with Karen Robinovitz.

Karen and I had a vision to manage bloggers as talent and change the way that brands engaged and compensated them. We were at the forefront of a digital revolution where bloggers became influencers and brands shepherded in a new way of marketing.

In 2010, we went from brand to brand proclaiming that bloggers were the new thing - we compared them to actors and actresses who could connect with millions through one Facebook post. We brought on Raina Penchansky as a partner who helped build our L.A. office and cemented us as players in Hollywood. DBA was later acquired by Irving Azoff, and we then built an office in Hong Kong, created a licensed brand in Milan and launched Digital Brand Products.

After leaving DBA, I wanted to create something new - the agency of the future that was nimble, fast, daring and mobile – mobile in location and mobile in technology.

From this vision and passion, I launched The BrainTrust!

By definition, The BrainTrust is a social media and digital marketing agency. But, we are anything but traditional. We are fearless in our ability to trail blaze and DREAM big to transcend the traditional agency model. We are Visionaries, Innovators, Storytellers, Connectors, Brand Builders and Thought Leaders. We disrupt on purpose and waiver between genius and Mad (WO)Men.

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Our ideology is simple – have the best and most brilliant brains around us as trusted colleagues, clients and contractors.

In just under two years and through a lot of tears, smiles, laughs and long nights I am proud to say we have partnered with over 100 brands and agencies across beauty, fashion, lifestyle, home and celebrity to build socially-driven brand marketing campaigns and programs that drive impact. Our unparalleled relationships have enabled us to have premium access and unmatched opportunities.

From day one, Kristi Bergeron stepped in whenever I needed her from audits to activation plans to a listening ear, and Elizabeth

Horton, my fearless accounting manager, enabled us to never miss

a payroll or bill. We grew and Iana Kozelsky became our “first” official payrolled employee. She sat next to me at our first office at Neuehouse and worked tirelessly to jump in wherever needed.

When we outgrew Neuehouse, we moved into our space in West Hollywood above Tortilla Republic. Here, it was our Our Time and We Grew our Clients and Built the Team.

Today, I am excited to share that we are joining CAA-GBG Global Brand Management Group ("CAA-GBG").

CAA-GBG is a joint venture between Global Brands Group Holding Limited (“Global Brands”) and Creative Artists Agency (“CAA”), and it is the largest brand management company in the world. It combines Global Brands’ established and strong worldwide brand management operation of 24 offices in 20 countries, with CAA’s extensive licensing, media, sports and entertainment leadership.

This new partnership gives us global reach, premium access and alignment with a world-renowned, award-winning company.

As I reflect on my journey over the past decade and prepare to work alongside our new leaders/owners, I am humbled and honored at what I have been entrusted to build and lead. My success comes from the TEAM of people who hold me up and drive the business, and we have created a TRUST and bond that will continue to be the guiding light of our BRIGHT future.

We are and will continue to be THE BRAINTRUST. Thank you for your support, partnership and TRUST over the last two years!

We've accomplished some outstanding work together and BELIEVE this merger means even more amazing opportunities are on the horizon! In addition to our current clients, we extend a warm

BrainTrust CAA-GBG is a specialized digital marketing and social media agency at the pulse of culture and creativity.

We partner with the world's most innovative brands, people and institutions to develop and execute data driven socially led strategies and campaigns that boost awareness, demand engagement and impact the bottom line.

We are the future – nimble, fast, daring and mobile – mobile in location and mobile in technology. With a team of digital experts who have been leveraging both the social space and its consumers since its advent, we are fearless in our ability to trail blaze. We transcend the traditional agency model through the merging of our internal knowledge and extended braintrust that spans the entire marketing, communications and creative landscape.

Our backgrounds combine the training and expertise of PR, Marketing and Advertising. From our leadership team to our managers and specialists, we leverage the practical application and day-to-day usage of social media and the digital marketing mix to create omni channel solutions for brands that are rooted in the evolution of consumer behavior, consumption and purchase defined by cultural trends and global nuisances. This cross pollination of execution provides a streamlined approach for our clients allowing us to push beyond the boundaries of siloed resources and one dimensional strategies. It is this foresight and forward thinking perspective that allows our agency and clients to Think Ahead and leave a mark on the world.

welcome to our new clients.

We invite you on our never-ending journey with a new name,

braintrustcaagbg.com

@braintrustcaagbg

BrainTrust CAA-GBG, but same hustle and spirit! #CarpeDiem

January 2018

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Table of Contents 2-3 Letter from the Founder 5 Letter from the Editor 6-9 New Year, A New Brand?!?! New Year’s Resolutions for a More Forward 0000000 Thinking, Socially Savvy Brand 10-11 New Faces at BrainTrust CAA-GBG 12-13 Diversity, Inclusion and Self-care: What We Learned in 2017 Beauty 14-19 Accounts to Watch in 2018: Beauty Influencers, Lifestyle Brands and 0000000 Creative Content 22-23 Content Experiences of the Future: How Augmented Reality and Live 0000000 Video Are Changing the Social and Digital Content Space 24-25 New Women in Business 26-27 A Look Back and a Glance Ahead: BrainTrust CAA-GBG's Favorite Social Media Moments of 2017 and Most Anticipated Social Media Trends of 2018

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Letter from the Editor Paige Pope Editor-in-Chief, The BrainTrust Quarterly

A

t BrainTrust CAA-GBG we think ahead and find innovative ways

to propel our clients forward, so initially a “Year in Review” issue felt a bit counterintuitive to our nature. But then, I realized we can’t move forward without looking back and the end of the year poses the natural opportunity to do so.

Halfway through 2018, the blur of 2017 will be just that, a blur. Most of the social media moments, the woes and the triumphs will be forgotten, but there will be a few glaring blips of clarity from 2017.

The social media moments that inspired us, caused us to take pause during mindless scrolling binges and actually engage and think, the creative pieces that made us run to the computer to start drawing up a new idea and the influencer whose every word we hung onto and who provided some well needed perspective during a wild year. The moments that cut through the clutter and clung to our minds, both personally and professionally. These are the moments, the trends, the brands and the people we celebrate in this issue and the content that will inspire, guide and inform our work in 2018 and perhaps even beyond.

You’ll learn that #MeToo moved us, what content continued to inspire us and why we can’t wait to see how influencer relationships evolve in 2018.

Read on and we hope this issue encourages you to take pause to reflect on your own discoveries, both personal and professional, in 2017 and ignites you for the year to come.

Thanks to all!

January 2018

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New Year, A New Brand?!?!

New Year’s Resolutions for a More Forward Thinking, Socially Savvy Brand

by Kristi Bergeron, Vice President, Digital Strategy, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

Almost ten years in and social media can still seem like an elusive, ever moving target

for brands and brand managers. You know social and digital are an essential part of your marketing mix. You know that when executed correctly social can help you accomplish great things. You understand that your brand's acceptance and/or rejection in the social space has power over your bottom line. But what does success in this fast-paced, ever-changing digitally driven world look really look like? Aside from submitting to the content churn, what is truly important. What will help your brand thrive in the space and perhaps most elusive, how do you stay true to the roots of social and still manage to build your brand at the same time?

This year, BrainTrust CAA-GBG is asking its clients to think outside of their typical day-to-day content and lean into the available tools to create social and digital campaigns that produce impactful, consistent and, most importantly, measurable results.

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January 2018

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Commit To A New Type of Social Listening:

Listen. Listen. Listen and never stop listening, but make sure you are listening in the right places and for the right reasons.

Upon inception, social media gave brands the opportunity to hear what people were saying sans the typical form of dialogue — focus groups, surveys and the often intense and a moment-too-late customer complaint line. As any good marketer would be, many seasoned brand managers were delighted to step into the world of an always-on digital platform and listen, ultimately leveraging those learnings to make a better brand.

However, the reason brands dive into these tools continues to be egotistical. Questions like: "What do they think about us? Our product? What do the love? What do they hate? What can we do better?" have been exhausted and continue to be at the forefront of most brands’ uses of social listening tools. While all noble questions, this particular dialogue functions in a silo and doesn’t take into account the mass amount of online conversations that go beyond product and hit at the heartbeat of consumers’ desires.

Surprisingly, when you truly listen to consumers, the conversations are less about brand and more about needs, passions, movements and values. From environmentally friendly products to body positivity messages to campaigns like “#MeToo,” there are pockets of consumers in every nook and cranny of the internet ready to share their values. Moreover, they are delighted to give you their money and loyalty when your values align. While not all brands can champion these cultural movements (a.k.a. crowd cultures), in almost all categories there is something worth tapping. To find it, you have to listen outside of typical keyword searches and act accordingly.

Make It Faster, More Fun and Less Permanent:

A little bit of planning can go a long way in helping your content become more of what it should be in the new year.

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For more insight into the art of leveraging crowd cultures to build brands, check out Douglas Holt’s article “Marketing in the Age of Social Media” in Harvard Business Review: "In the era of Facebook and YouTube, brand building has become a vexing challenge. This is not how things were supposed to turn out. A decade ago most companies were heralding the arrival of a new golden age of branding. They hired creative agencies and armies of technologists to insert brands throughout the digital universe.

Viral, buzz, memes, stickiness, and form factor became the lingua franca of branding. But despite all the hoopla, such efforts have had very little payoff."

After almost a decade of perfecting content strategies, obsessing over the grid and stressing over every piece of content, social media is STILL evolving, and that evolution continues to topple everything we knew about content, creativity and branding.

The social space moves fast, and in 2018 your content and dialogue with consumers should move even faster.

Let’s face it, anything with 24 hours of airplay (think LIVE, IG Stories, etc.) likely doesn’t

deserve a gratuitous amount of internal approvals. And for those moments designed to “WIN” the internet (I’m looking at You @Wendys On Twitter), brands need to be free to think and create on the fly. In 2018, your brand needs a strong creative and brand voice playbook that allows your internal team and agencies the freedom to move quickly and leverage the new and the next before it’s not-so-new or gone altogether.

When It Comes To ROI, Write Your Own Rules: Rethink your goals and define the KPIs that matter most to you.

ROI will always mean return on investment, but return can mean different things de-

and

depending on the price point and overall goals. Likewise, while engagement is often the de facto metric for social, sometimes brands do better to track more traditional strategy.

There is a social metric for every piece of the marketing funnel and understanding

Move beyond the feed and shift your focus to the newest forms of social content. platforms

iest way to prove the value of your daily efforts, it might not always make sense

KPIs, leveraging a more traditional media

Prioritize Your Content Based On Your Platform:

Month-over-month

pending on your goals. While leveraging social to drive revenue seems like the sex-

what return means for you and your brand will give you leverage in the boardroom and ensure you get the most value for your time and money. At BrainTrust CAA-GBG, we

their

encourage our clients to test, retest and ex-

algorithms play favorites with certain con-

periment and then take a step back to write

tent formats. Instagram - once known for

their own rules for defining value. While this

championing the pristine photo - now tells

exercise takes time, it will prove invaluable

brands that stories and video should be the

in getting the most out of the space.

top content priority. Additionally, Facebook continues to prioritize video content in an effort to make Facebook Watch the

Start Somewhere! Anywhere!

next viable streaming service. Moving into

As with any New Year’s resolution, the key is to start somewhere.

2018 prioritizing stories, video and other, newer content types will improve your ranking and drive eyeballs to your profile pages.

Whether your brand has written the rules for social in the past or has been navigating the space with caution, the key to creating a more socially savvy brand is to start somewhere. Big or small, influencers or content, organic or paid media plays — there are plenty of places for brands to shake up digital and social media in the new year.

Instagram uses its explore feed as a built in cheat sheet that shows what content gets priority on the platform: 1) Live 2) Stories 3) Videos 4) Photos

If you are interested in working with BrainTrust CAA-GBG to leverage social listening data, write a new social brand playbook or develop a roadmap for tracking ROI, feel free to reach out to: KristiBergeron@CAAGlobalBrands.com January 2018

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Why did you make the transition to BT? The agency was primed for dramatic growth and innovation, and I wanted to be a part of that dynamic. Having seen Kendra lead in the digital space since before it was even an industry has been inspiring. For me this was an ideal time to make a pivot in my career and lend my skill sets in a support role.

What are you most excited to do at BT? I am most excited by what we will accomplish as a complete team across time zones and client groups. I anticipate big wins for us as

Brandon Carter

a team when we put together every brain in

B

How do you stay on top of digital/social

Senior Director, Beauty & Fashion randon has a keen focus on people,

organizations and brands; with a desire to understand how they produce and consume, particularly in the digital space. He thrives on understanding and interpreting the nuances of culture, preference, style and resonance.

Brandon is a graduate of Purdue University.

He began his career as a roadie for a rock band, then things got real; he completed the Macy’s Executive Development Program and had a progressive journey there with executive roles in operations, learning & development, diversity/inclusion, human resources and marketing. Brandon comes to The BrainTrust from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where

the game!

trends?

As the digital space evolves I keep my eyes on the early adopters or lighthouse consumers and apply the diffusion of innovations theory.

I try to understand what’s going to be big based on who sees it first, how they engage and how much influence they are willing to yield to support an innovation.

What unique angle do you bring to multicultural beauty?

I try to to remove all bias when it comes to understanding beauty. I then think about consumer needs and wants objectively.

There are so many layers in understanding the space, and I have a unique passion for

New Faces at BrainTrust CAA-GBG he was a business partner for The Met Store.

Brandon concentrates on fashion and beauty,

providing unique insight into multicultural audiences across the agency.

peeling back the layers of race, culture, class, etc. I want to be able to advise specifically or encyclopediacally when it comes to multicultural focused brands.

Who is your social media spirit animal?

If @Olivier_Rousteing and @Afropunk had a baby then that would be my spirit animal.

by Paige Pope, Editor-In-Chief of The BrainTrust Quarterly

Our team is constantly growing and we love adding to our "braintrust".

Here are a few new faces that recently joined in New York and Los Angeles.

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Why did you make the transition to BT?

impact the brands’ bottom line is something

I spent the last year and a half working in

I am extremely proud of. It also made me

the programmatic advertising space (an

appreciate the importance of listening to

automated way of buying digital ads, making

client needs and putting that into action!

them more efficient and targeted), and prior to that was at full service social media

How do you stay on top of digital/social

agencies. Working in programmatic was a

trends?

fantastic experience but I felt compelled to

Twitter! There are some agencies and

get back in social and content creation to

publications that share relevant updates

follow my true passion.

about the industry so I use them as a resource. It’s a great shortcut!

What are you most excited to do at BT?

Nicole Grossberg Senior Manager, Digital Strategy

N

I’m really excited to join a company in

Why do you think digital/social is so

its infancy and to make an impact on the

important?

business. I hope to bring a fresh perspective

Digital is the future (and frankly, the present).

and help grow the company into something

Specifically, social media is the way we

great.

connect with one another, how we get our news, how we make important purchasing

icole loves the passion, energy, and

What is a past project that makes you proud?

decisions, determine what vacation we’ll go

creativity that comes along with working in

I worked on an account at one of my past

on next, and even how we announce the birth

the industry. She has experience in social

agencies and that particular client wasn’t

of our children! From a brand perspective,

media marketing with a variety of clients

that excited about the work we were doing.

the targeting capabilities and data we obtain

such as Gap Inc, TheaterMania, Weight

To improve the relationship and gain their

from digital/social is unmatched.

Watchers, Auntie Anne's, Pure Barre, CND

trust, I worked closely with my team to

Nails, SodaStream and Juice Pharma. She

listen to their feedback and incorporate it

Who is your social media spirit animal?

has also worked in experiential marketing on

into our content and strategy. 4-6 months

I’d have to say Netflix! Their social voice is

a number of guerrilla marketing activations

down the road that client trusted us so

funny, engaging, creative and they’re good

with clients like Burger King, Suave, Truvia,

much that they let us experiment with all

listeners.

Alaska Airlines and Ford.

kinds of fun engagement tactics on their social channels. This ultimately allowed us

As Senior Manager, Digital Strategy she

to grow their audience and ensure their

is responsible for client relationships and

fans were receiving valuable content they

ensuring all elements of strategy and scope

loved and engaged with. Being able to turn

of work are delivered on and optimized.

things around on that account so quickly and

Danielle Garcia

Jacqueline Dunderdale

Jelissa Lebron

Associate Manager

Account Coordinator

Account Coordinator

Danielle is passionate about brands, people,

Jacqueline moved to L.A. from Chicago,

Jelissa is a proud New Yorker with roots bred

and ideas that stick. She holds a BA from

where she studied musical theatre and mi-

in the Bronx. She attended SUNY Fredonia

Binghamton University where she studied

nored in English at Columbia College. After

in upstate N.Y. where she received her B.S.

entrepreneurship and the arts. Danielle has

her studies, she received her TEFL certifi-

in communications. She has always been

experience developing retail marketing and

cation and ventured over to Madrid, Spain

passionate about media and creative ex-

social media campaigns for brands includ-

where she worked as an English teacher,

pression. With an acquired eye for detail and

ing Under Armour, Kate Spade, and Tommy

traveled throughout Europe and developed

efficiency, she always thinks ahead through

Hilfiger. In her spare time Danielle enjoys

an exceptional palate for 'vino tinto del sur.'

a creative lens. She is excited to work with

directing and acting, and volunteers with

As a water sign, the move to the West Coast

such an avid team at BrainTrust CAA-GBG

a community led theater company in NYC

was a natural fit. Working with such a unique

as an Account Coordinator.

called The Blue Hill Troupe.

team and global brands while expanding her horizons each day, Jacqueline is happy to play a part in BrainTrust CAA-GBG. January 2018

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Diversity, Inclusion and Self-care What We Learned in 2017 Beauty

by Brandon Carter, Senior Director, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

B

eauty brands are finally “getting it” and

praise from Solange’s and Serena Williams’

incorporated some well-needed diversity

make-up artists, and have been raved about

in 2017. Foremost, it was exceptional year

by countless #undiscoveredmuas, beauty

for celebrating and acknowledging a wide

YouTubers, and influencers of color.

range of skin tones.

Gender neutrality and sensitivity to gender Brands expanded product assortments

nonconformity has been on the rise for

catering to more shades than ever before.

years, and content featuring genderless

Mainstream brands like CoverGirl and

and genderbending beauty and fashion

L'Oréal took note from traditional beauty

went mainstream in 2017. According to the

publications such as Allure and TeenVogue,

Facebook IQ report, online conversation

who have been diligent and deliberate in

around unisex style increased nearly 18

featuring all complexions. For example,

times compared to 2016. Perhaps the most

CoverGirl’s

diverse

visual representation of this is in the “Boy

campaign features Issa Rae, the acclaimed

Beauty” moment, as some of the most

actress, writer, director, producer and web

popular beauty influencers identify as male.

latest

and

most

series creator who represents herself as unapologetically black.

Interestingly, cosmetics brands were not the first to notice. Many of the biggest male

Rihanna made the biggest splash in beauty

beauty influencers began at the makeup

and diversity. Her Fenty Beauty collection

counter. @MannyMUA honed his skills at

and its 40 tones of foundations were an

Sephora, and @PatrickStarr was an on-call

instant hit. The brand was reportedly worth

artist for MAC. The mainstream brands

over $72 million in one month and named

began to see the talent they overlooked,

one of Time's Best 25 Inventions from

and many of the beauty boys have gone

2017. Fenty Beauty was a game changer

on to have international campaigns and

for darker-skinned women who haven’t

ambassadorships. L’Oréal Paris followed

been catered to in an industry steeped in

with a partnership with @theplasticboy, a

racism and colorism. It’s no surprise the

black, U.K.-based male beauty influencer.

deeper shades are the best sellers, often

Recently Milk Makeup, one of Sephora’s

selling out on Sephora.com. Speaking to

most successful new brands, launched with

people with deeper shades may have been

models of all genders. However, it should

overshadowed in the media, but is not new.

be noted that Tom Ford Beauty has been

Black Opal has been the consistent player

advocating male beauty long before this.

in the space; since 1994 Black Opal has

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provided the most relevant and compelling

Much like cosmetics, fashion brands are

array of shades for women of color. For

also exploring unisex collections, increasing

2017 they again won Essence’s “Best in

visibility and acceptance of gender fluidity.

Black Beauty Award”, garnered press and

Gucci has promoted gender neutrality on

the runway for some time, while designers like Thom Browne regularly show men in maxi skirts and kilts. This year Zara launched a genderless collection and H&M forayed into genderless denim. It’s likely that gender fluidity is more than a passing trend and these efforts will expand across multiple product categories and channels.

This year ‘self-care’ became less frivolous and more every day. As the New York Times wrote in December 2016, the selfcare trend grew in popularity immediately after the presidential election, as a method to cope with tension and stress. The trend continued in 2017, seemingly in correlation to the tense political landscape. There are currently more than 3.8 million posts on Instagram using the hashtag #selfcare.

Pinterest reports a dramatic increase in posts related to home beauty treatments, retreats, meditation, brain training, hot yoga, aromatherapy and sleep rituals.

Brands are actively commoditizing the movement. Of course there is Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow’s multi-channel lifestyle brand advice

offering from

cutting-edge doctors,

wellness

vetted

travel

recommendations and a curated shop of clean beauty, fashion and home offerings.

This year Sephora launched Vitruvi, which is the first essential oils brand available at the store, a product category once restricted to health stores and strictly associated with meditation. Likewise, masks and facial treatments that were once home secrets are all over social such as the Insta-friendly GlamGlow GravityMud mask available at high-end retailer Neiman Marcus. Not to mention the plethora of charcoal masks at mass retailers. Expect to see self-care continue as a social media force and a source of shareable content.

2017 will be remembered for the longawaited expansion of beauty options, particularly for women of color. Beauty and fashion brands will continue to look past

traditional

gender

concepts

and

celebrate self-care. BrainTrust CAA-GBG has positioned itself to facilitate authentic ways brands can join these celebrations of diversity in 2018 and beyond.

January 2018

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Beauty Influencers to Watch in 2018

by Taylor Stukes, Associate Manager, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

T

his year proved to be yet another year of growth for beauty influencers. The floodgates opened and so many new, unique influencers entered the space, so we wanted to highlight a few social mavens who we had a keen eye on this

year and who prove that influencers can now be a key part to a brand’s recognition and success on social. From their impressive partnerships to their expanding following and more, here are our Top Beauty Influencers to Watch in 2018.

Shayla Mitchell @makeupshayla

Shayla Mitchell is now one of the most prominent beauty YouTubers in the game. Focusing on makeup and more specifically, product reviews, Shayla created a gang of engaged followers and then leveraged that into business opportunities. We weren't the only ones who noticed her exponential growth either – Maybelline tapped into Shayla for a custom line of volumizing mascaras and an eyeshadow palette, in stores now.

479k subscribers 2.6m followers

Jaclyn Hill @jaclynhill

Jaclyn Hill has a storybook social rise. Starting as a makeup vlogger, Jaclyn has moved from the world of YouTube into the ranks of beauty celebrity. Her list of partnerships is extensive – starting with a Morphe brush line followed by an eyeshadow palette and finally her megahit Jaclyn Hill x Becca Cosmetics collection. Since 2011, Jaclyn has taken the industry by storm, and there's no an end in sight. She's a prime example of how classic original vloggers continue to grow, adapt and evolve over time and provide major value to beauty brands.

4.6m subscribers 5m followers

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Sonia Kiani @foreveruntamed

Sonia turned her online influence into a real life presence. With a focus on colorful hair and full glam looks, Sonia partnered with Cosmoprof North America as a Trendscout for the 2017 show where she used her beauty expertise to select the best new products and brands. She was nominated for the 2017 American Influencer Awards and landed a spot on Lifetime show “American Beauty Star.” Sonia pushes her followers to accept themselves and proudly celebrates her Iranian roots and weight loss journey. For 2018, we expect to see Sonia’s glamorous beauty expertise and emphasis on self-acceptance spread to more digital-meets-physical opportunities.

61.7k followers

Fouz Alfahad @therealfouz

Based in Dubai with Kuwait descent, Fouz is one of the top Arabian beauty influencers of 2017. Her content is focused around Instagram glam tutorials, featuring brands such as Black Opal. Due to her amazing hair content, Fouz even landed herself an interview in Vogue Arabia. Her biggest win of 2017: announcing the opening of her own full-service salon, The Real Fouz Beauty.

2.2m followers

Marvyn

@marvyn_macnificent Germany’s king of beauty used 2017 to go global. With an impressive following on both YouTube and Instagram, Marvyn uses an array of brands and products to test for his followers and create his over-the-top looks. Marvyn even partnered with BH Cosmetics to create his own palette, now available. We expect to see more men rise to beauty prominence in 2018.

351k followers January 2018

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Lifestyle Accounts to Watch in 2018

by Jacqueline Dunderdale, Account Coordinator, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

L

ifestyle accounts provide a breath of fresh, inspirational content when contrasted with heavily promotional or branded feeds. They are a social haven to explore, learn and wonder, and they ignite a certain creative spark that followers carry out of the digital world and into their everyday lives. As AdWeek explains, “We are social animals, and our connections are amplified on social media. It is not surprising that health

and lifestyle content is heavily shared on social networks, and that it has a powerful, real-world effect on consumers, making it the most important platform for wellness brands to reach—and impact—consumers.” Here’s a look at some lifestyle influencers who are doing it right.

Refinery29 @refinery29

Refinery29 is a female-focused lifestyle brand bringing its audience regularly programmed inspiration to live their best lives. The channel delivers the latest in topics from cult beauty and trending fashion to social experiments and docu-style storytelling on a global level. There is no territory they are afraid to explore. They #slayed 2017 as a women-driven brand that engaged with an audience of 27 million monthly website readers and 225 million global followers across social platforms. Each year in NYC, they host ‘29Rooms’ an event showcasing style, culture and current technology. This year Refinery29 brought the magic to L.A. and featured most-loved rooms along with brand new rooms exclusively for the public.

1.8m followers

Loza Maléombho @lozamaleombho

Loza Maleombho is a Brazilian-born designer who grew up between Cote-d’Ivoire and the United States. If you follow her on social, you can easily see her presence is ethereal, unique and reflects her one-of-a-kind design portfolio. Her work is so intriguing even The Queen Bey showcased one of her creations in the visual album, ‘Lemonade.’ Loza Maleombho is not only a credible designer - she empowers women by manufacturing all of her clothes for her label in a small, locally-owned workshop. She is a #queen on social, tearing it apart and is a strong role model who truly defines #BlackExcellence.

65.8k followers 16

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Glossier @glossier

Glossier showcases its iconic brand persona by providing bright, vibrant and pink images to highlight the importance of skin care and living your best life, daily. With already exceptional branding, Glossier takes its talents to Instagram with engaging product and inuse photos, and its ambassador campaign is notoriously successful.

On Glossier’s social, you will even find occasional memes that step away from promotion and add a touch of relatability. This year, Emily Weiss, founder & CEO of @glossier and @intothegloss, launched an inclusive #bodyhero campaign featuring real women with real bodies and glowing skin. This woman and her 90-person team in SoHo continue pioneering products and campaigns that actually speak to real women. Glossier has taken the world by storm, and we can’t wait to see them evolve in 2018.

891k followers

Lauren Bullen @gypsea_lust

Lauren Bullen, the 24 year-old NSW mastermind of the famous Instagram, ‘Gypsea Lust’ arguably has one of the best jobs in the world. The travel and lifestyle blogger behind Gypsea Lust is a self-taught photographer and a nature lover. Lauren travels to 'wanderlust' destinations and snaps lust-inducing photos of her travels. Her magical images have caught the eye of tourism boards who she fronts campaigns for as they pay upwards of $10,000 per post. Standing on cliff edges, frequently traveling to the Maldives and island hopping with her love and equally Insta-famous beau, Jack Morris, her feed is a never-ending postcard. Lauren embodies the new travel influencer who is mobile, free-spirited, self taught and lends authenticity and connection to otherwise remote or farfetched locations.

1.9m followers

January 2018

17

Creative Accounts to Watch in 2018

by Iana Kozelsky, Associate Manager and Melissa Donaldson, Content Coordinator, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

I

n 2017, the most notable visual pieces on social media were distinct: they embrace culture, diversity and life in color. While the demand and power of high-quality content continues to rise, these Instagram accounts surpass expectations and bring refreshing innovation to the social

table. They also reinforce the idea that content in the social media landscape is invariably successful when it understands and directly resonates with its unique viewer. Here’s our take on the best creative content feeds for inspiration.

Garmentory @garmentory

A beautifully curated feed, filled with a generous but consistent mix of lifestyle/inspirational content, UGC, beautiful flat lays and delightfully simple but playful animations.They are always on top of new features, being among the first to take advantage of Instagram’s new featured stories capabilities. They already even have three ongoing feeds. They host regular Stories takeovers and consistently push out simple but distinct content. It’s proven to be a source of what’s new, next and now in utilizing new tools creatively.

61.7k followers

Maavven @maavven

Maavven has a delightful roster of creatives and consistently shares beautiful content. Every post is pushed out as a set of three, which creates a harmonious ribbon-like effect on the feed. Though each artist has a very distinct style, the ribbon approach keeps the feed from looking chaotic/disjointed. It’s an example how the smallest shifts in social strategy can have major overall impact and cause the feed to act as an ever-expanding art museum versus standard content platform. Also, it’s a comprehensive way to discover new and rising names in the creative fields.

3.8k followers

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The BrainTrust Quarterly

AFROPUNK @afropunk

They are dynamic, they are current, they are posting about their festival, about their politics, about people and places they love/appreciate. This is how AFROPUNK has built a beautiful community. A main discussion point is their clever/ consistent use of hashtags. Their AFRO OF THE DAY series, #afrooftheday, never gets old; it has been running for over two years. Since it is an evergreen tag, they don’t have to post an afro every day. But the hashtag is an appreciation, an ode to the afro, and an invitation for their community to share their own ‘fro shots. They lead by example as creative community builders.

808k followers

Clo

@c__l__o If you’re looking for content inspiration, you’ll find it on Clo. Lauren Faye, a creative director based in London, curates a beautiful feed of photographs of all subjects and moods.

Most images have a strong feminine essence and pops of color weave throughout. Whether you need inspiration for a beauty look, a photo shoot theme, a content piece, a color scheme or just a thought-provoking visual experience, this is your place.

536k followers

January 2018

19

Viral Buzz in 2017

Spotlighting BrainTrust CAA-GBG's Clients

by Paige Pope, Editor-In-Chief of The BrainTrust Quarterly

From creating the first Breville Coffee Thinkers Summit to launching the

first Sally Beauty Influencer Tour, together with our clients we made a splash across social platforms and created a viral buzz in 2017!

Here’s a glance at a few highlights and a reminder of why we love our clients.

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Breville hosted the first Coffee Thinkers Summit featuring a dedicated coffee tour of Los Angeles, barista influencer relationships and Instagram grid takeover.

BLK/OPL’s multicultural beauty content on social was supported with the launch #BLKOPLSlayDay undiscovered

featuring

talent.

powerful,

BLK/OPL

made

the call for undiscovered makeup artists to conclude #BLKOPLSlayDay and the

GroundSea Fitness’ social channels grew by 521% this year. Together we launched a dedicated newsletter, which helped drive multiple sold out wellness retreats.

response

was

phenomenal.

The

final

Facebook post garnered 918 comments, 2,325 engagements and a total reach of 34,815. Additionally, we engaged with talent within the follower base who are now generating their own #BLKOPL content.

Sally Beauty hosted not one but six Pop-Up Beauty Salons and Lounges in Atlanta, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and, most recently, New York City.

Sally Beauty seeded over 800 influencers with beauty goodies in 2017 generating 1.6 billion impressions.

Dear Drew debuted on Amazon Fashion and social, and found a home in an NYC pop-up shop. Drew Barrymore’s eponymous apparel and accessories line paired with dreamy, empowering content has already attracted nearly 60,000 followers within one season.

Halle Berry was the queen of social media.

Her photo journey of her trip to India almost crashed the internet, and her debut appearance as a keynote speaker at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity cemented her status as a social innovator.

She even had time to grace the screen in three movies: “Kidnap,” “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and “Kings.”

CuddleBright

positioned

itself

as

a

parenting resource on social and hosted a Routines & Rituals launch event at Au Fudge featuring Dr. Vicki herself along with notable mommy influencers. The event generated 700 million impressions and shared the CuddleBright Experience with new audiences.

January 2018

21

Content Experiences of the Future:

What projects are you currently working on?

Justin Fredericks: ArtxCo formed a joint venture, Modern.com, which will be a storytelling platform for the modern world using the latest technologies. Our first project is augmented art - telling the stories behind artists and their artwork via AR. Mark C. Roe: I’ve been consistently working with a few digital media platforms in Los Angeles that target the Gen Z/millennial demographics. Mostly broadcasts featuring live music & interviews.

How Augmented Reality and Live Video Are Changing the Social and Digital Content Space

Engagement is always top priority so other ideas like Q&As,

by Iana Kozelsky, Associate Manager, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

and play. From Snapchat and Instagram filters to the Pokémon

Content is everything. Brands are increasingly

investing in telling their story in new and innovative ways. In a saturated digital age, how do they “cut through the clutter” and offer their consumers a content experience beyond traditional photography and videography?

Justin Fredericks and Mark C. Roe, experts and creators in augmented reality and live video production respectively, share their insights on how brands can and why they should explore these new media to be at the forefront of digital marketing.

giveaways and announcements are also popular.

What role does AR / live video play in social media?

JF: The early days of AR in social media have focused around fun GO scavenger hunt, AR allows social media users to literally see themselves and the world around them in new ways. Due to this newness, augmented experiences amplify the usage and sharing on social media channels. Moving forward, once AR itself does not seem so new, its effectiveness and popularity will depend upon creative content (the augmented layers) and/or practical, informative uses.

MR: It’s absolutely huge. All things media-related are converging into a real-time experience: FaceTime, Instagram Live, Snapchat, Facebook Live. Not to mention the ever-growing list of livestreaming services. People always want to be in the moment but they’re faced with the temptation of having an endless means of distraction in their pocket. Live video bridges that gap.

In the social media space, who or what brands are incorporating AR / live video in innovative ways?

JF: If we consider an artist building a personal brand, D*Face collaborated with Snapchat during this past Art Basel in Miami.

The British street artist had his own augmented art titled the D*Dog, which users could place, move, scale and walk around via a Snapchat filter. With attendance hovering 100,000 at Art Basel this past year (and millions more following the events on social media), the contextual relevance paired with visually stimulating content boosted the artist's visibility during the show. He also unveiled new originals and murals during the week.

MR: Red Bull comes to mind. They’ve always seen the value of cooping their brand with developing technologies & creative people. A great example is Red Bull Music Academy. They livestream in-studio music performances and collaborations while people comment and engage with the performers. It isn’t always product centric but it shows the value of being a sponsor of original content in an age where upcoming artists have more influence.

The full video may be viewed by visiting @dface_official on Instagram.

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How effective is AR / live video in selling products?

reality will be so prevalent that it will simply be... well, reality.

JF: AR has great potential to facilitate selling products, especially

There will also be a closing of the gap between AR and VR, with

during the "closing" stage. Sephora and Ikea are early adopters of this hypothesis and the technology, allowing customers to try their products virtually prior to purchase. Sephora's app lets users try on makeup virtually to find out what products fit them well. Likewise, the Ikea Place app allows furniture shoppers to virtually place pieces

increased capabilities and usage of complementary hardware, i.e.

AR/VR technologies built into your coolest pair of sunglasses. Mixed Reality experiences will allow people to simultaneously experience the world in front of them while stepping into virtual, faraway places, experiences and information.

in their rooms. These practical uses of AR demonstrate a new form

MR: I think live video and AR will be making some serious headway

of trying before buying.

in the coming years. Advertisers are paying attention to where the

MR: Honestly, it’s hard to say. There are so many variables at play

viewership is going and are spending accordingly so the money will

whenever you’re attempting to market a product that no single component can be attributed the sole credit of its success. That being said, the social media landscape is trending in the live direction so it would be unreasonable to not utilize a growing technology. A guy live streaming in his basement can reach more people than some

continue to grow the demand. Everything is going digital: news, dating, shopping, interacting. There are still a few kinks being worked out before it's totally mainstream but we’ve barely scratched the surface. We have the hunk of marble, now we just need more Michelangelos.

primetime talk shows. If that doesn’t convince you where things are headed, I don’t know what will.

How can brands who have not used AR technology / live video production yet start to dive into it?

JF: There are two easy ways to start building an AR presence: by using the tools of an existing AR platform or by partnering on a custom AR experience. Any company can start using one of the existing AR platforms and tool sets. For example, a business can use Snapchat Geofilters that places the brand front and center on the popular app within a specified location. Alternatively, a brand can partner with an AR company on a more custom project. With Modern.com, for example, we're working with companies to infuse their brands into augmented art experiences. It's a new, immersive, engaging and interactive form of sponsorship.

MR: Partnering with people and brands who already have a proven following is a good start. Many influencers and YouTube personalities depend on collaboration in order to grow their audience and thus many companies have followed suit. One of the great opportunities of the digital era is that it’s never been easier to connect with people, and some of those people can help bring your vision to fruition.

Reaching out and trying new ideas is always an important business strategy.

Where do you see AR / live video in a year from now? Five years?

JF: With both iOS and Android fully adopting AR into their latest operating systems, AR is here to stay and grow. In the next year, I foresee an increasing volume of practical AR apps (similar to the Sephora virtual makeup and the Ikea virtual furniture) that link with ecommerce. In addition to trying before buying, there will be greater opportunities to customize products. In five years, augmented

Justin Fredericks is the Co-Founder of ArtxCo, a business that connects artists with companies and communities. Their two most prominent brands are Street Art House (which produces mural commissions, brand collaborations and events with up-and-coming street artists) and Paper and Fabric (which produced limited edition prints and merchandise with artists). Previous to this role, he worked in the tech industry for a decade, in business development leadership roles. Academically, he received a B.A. in Sociology from UCLA and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Mark C. Roe is a California native musician turned filmmaker. He is also a breakfast burrito enthusiast.

January 2018

23

New Women In Business

by Paige Pope, Editor-In-Chief of The BrainTrust Quarterly

According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, more than 9.4 million firms are

owned by women, employing nearly 7.9 million people, and generating $1.5 trillion in sales as of 2015.

This growth in women entrepreneurship was at the forefront of our thoughts in 2017 as our founder, Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, transitions from CEO & Founder to Chief Digital Officer. Here, five female entrepreneurs provide their perspective on what it means to be a women in business in 2018.

Monica Stevens

Kathryn Finney

Sheila Marmon

MoKnowsHair, LLC

Founder and Managing Director, digitalundivided

Founder & CEO, Mirror Digital

What was the most important thing you

​If​ ​we’re​ ​sitting​ ​here​ ​a​ ​year​ ​from​ ​now​​ What will be the biggest opportunity for

learned in 2017 about running your own

celebrating​ ​what​ ​a​ ​great​ ​year​ ​it’s​ ​been​ ​for​ ​you​ ​

female business owners?

business?

and your​ ​company,​ ​what​ ​did​ ​you​ ​achieve?

Women have lost patience with waiting

The most important lesson of 2017 was

We created an ecosystem in which Black

simply a reinforcement of what I already

and Latina women are not only reclaiming

know being marketing professional first - you

my time, but also claiming and owning our

cannot be all things to all people. No matter

success.

how well you build your brand, construct your

for permission and are moving forward to pursue the opportunities they are passionate about. From a capital raising standpoint, we have seen some real wins come out of the institutional venture capital pipeline like BirchBox, ClassPass and StitchFix that will

business or create your space, someone will

​What​ ​will​ ​be​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​opportunity​ ​for​ ​

pave the way for the next wave of young

disagree or be unhappy with it. You can’t be

female​ ​business​ ​owners?

female entrepreneurs who have big ideas

everyone’s favorite, as many times people’s

I think cryptocurrency is going to be a

expectations are not aligned with what your

game changer for all marginalized groups,

brand offers.

including women because the traditional

Who in business inspires you?

Janice Bryant Howroyd, the founder of The Act 1 Group inspires me. She is a black,

gatekeepers will no longer have the power

female entrepreneur who is a self-made

The best any business owner can do is hold

to control capital. Even in the 1990s, many

billionaire and very few people even know

true to the values you founded your brand on

financial institutions wouldn’t allow a woman

who she is. She has pushed through and

and follow your own rules. While everyone

to receive a business loan unless a male

done the work of building her company over

may not stay, many will be grateful for what

relative co-signed the loan.

you do and always support you.

the last 30 years and is just now receiving the recognition and accolades that one might have expected to come long ago. Her journey reminds me to stay focused on the business of doing the business even when no one is watching.

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The BrainTrust Quarterly

Julie Flanders

Elena Hansen

Kendra Bracken-Ferguson

Achievement Expert, Strategic Business Builder, Leadership Coach and Consultant

Founder, SWIM Social Inc.

Chief Digital Officer, BrainTrust CAA-GBG

As a female business owner in a time of

What will be the biggest opportunity for

As a female business owner in a time of

#MeToo #HeForShe and the women's march,

female business owners?

#MeToo #HeForShe and the women's march,

what will be the biggest change for women in business in 2018?

The expectation that women are to be believed, heard and respected in the

I

believe

a

big

opportunity

will

be

diversification. We work so incredibly hard at our craft and the businesses that we are

what will be the biggest change for women in business in 2018?

Women will have a stronger, more prominent voice in 2018. Not just women in corporate

workplace, not as satellites to or subjects of

building, but it can't stop there. We can't

male benevolence, but as powerful in our own

limit ourselves to the one skill or one type

over the world in all industries and sectors

right and rights. Women are now supporting

of business that we've developed. We need

of business from the cashier at the local

women better and finding kinship and voices

to be growing outward as well as upward to

restaurant to the senior accountant on Wall

that can contrast and harmonize in sharing messages of change and evolution.

What will be the biggest challenge for the

reach new levels of success. There is still a lot of work to be done!

America or Hollywood but women all

Street. Never before has the energy around women’s equality, women’s importance and women’s value in the workplace been more apparent.

generation of women behind you?

What was the most important thing you

The biggest challenge I see is in forging

learned in 2018 about running your own

What will be the biggest challenge for the

a power that is both strong and flexible,

business?

generation of women behind you?

inclusive and tolerant. Women have had to

I've learned to have the tough conversations.

Looking ahead but being mindful, grateful

be deferential for so long, it's tempting to take on some of the dominance or bullying traits associated with certain male leadership.

I think it's really important to hold esteem for

It's always better to be the one to address the issue, pick up the phone, or call the meeting, to get on the same page. Once

and aware of the triumphs that have been made to give them a voice and seat at the table.

people who disagree with us and to foster

you condition yourself to be that person

Who in business inspires you?

humor, grace and poise in the face of people

in any relationship, I believe it builds the

At this moment it is Hoda Kotb, who was

who do not choose the high road. When

confidence you have in yourself, as well as

recently

they go low, we go high - do not descend.

the confidence that others have in you. At

the Today Show. It is the first time in history

Also, women need to support and open opportunities for each other.

Rather than

competing, form career-building alliances, and move forward in synergy, amplifying one another's gifts.

the end of the day, we should all be working towards the same goals and it's important to address conflict in order to align.

announced as the co-anchor of

“Today” has been anchored by women breaking the tradition of a man and woman in co-host roles. We also can’t overlook that Hoda is a woman of color marking another milestone for NBC. For the first time in over a year, viewership is up since Hoda started

What was the most important thing you

setting the tone that 2018 is truly the year

learned in 2017 about running your own

of women.

business?

To trust uncertainty and allow quantum leaps.

January 2018

25

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The BrainTrust Quarterly

A Look Back and a Glance Ahead BrainTrust CAA-GBG's Favorite Social Media Moments of 2017 and Most Anticipated Social Media Trends of 2018

Consider this article a dual look at social media as we straddle the line between 2017 and 2018.

On the one side, there are the top social moments we’ll reference, emulate and celebrate for years to come. Glimmering on the other side are the social trends we can’t wait to unfold and explore in 2018.

Here, we weigh-in on both.

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27

Favorite Social Media Moments of 2017 When we asked team members what their favorite social media moment of 2017 was, the #MeToo Movement was the overwhelming stand out. This movement proved the unifying, demystifying and powerful force of social media and allowed countless women (and men) to speak up about a commonly silenced issue. What started as a small movement and organization founded by Tarana Burke in 2007 grew into the Time Person of the Year for 2017, a decade and a movement later. As NPR eloquently puts it, “#MeToo rose to prominence as a social media campaign in the wake of high-profile accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. After actress Alyssa Milano popularized the hashtag, thousands of women began sharing their stories about the pervasive damage wrought by sexual harassment and by ‘open secrets’ about abuse.”

In the first 24 hours, there were over 12 million posts and reactions. The movement united women of all races, ages and backgrounds, from Hollywood actresses to hourly field workers.

It has crossed platforms and borders. Each story and each #MeToo equally poignant and important. Sometimes social media gets a bad reputation as a frivolous vanity platform, but #MeToo proved it was anything but. Since the movement, countless prominent men of power from Harvey Weinstein to Matt Lauer have been called out and subsequently fired and in some cases blacklisted from their former placeholds. The movement has left the confines of social and caused a rarely seen social and cultural shift. It makes us emotional and fiercely proud. Here, our team members share why it was their favorite moment of 2017.

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The BrainTrust Quarterly

#MeToo:

More favorite moments:

"My favorite social media moment was the #MeToo Movement. It

"The #SaveTheElephants social movement was powerful and

was inspirational, empowering and one of the most profound and

uniting. As a bonus, it actually had real-world impact outside of

important moments of 2017."

digital and spoke to the power of social to affect real change. In

—Nicole Grossberg, Senior Manager, Digital Strategy

the past, outrage over social issues didn’t always have a place to go, and social media let us gather, commiserate and take action.

Also, anything Rainn Wilson does is genius. He balances activism,

"My favorite was the rise of the hashtag #MeToo. It ignited a

personal life and promotions with his signature personality and

movement, community and social uprising. It's a great example

always knows when to throw in a reference from The Office. He’s a

of the power of social (in this case a hashtag) in contributing to a

constant reminder that authenticity can and should have a place on

social movement."

social, and that’s something I expect to see more of from influencers

—Stephanie Dreyer, Director

and celebrities in 2018."

—Paige Pope, Editor-in-Chief of BT Quarterly

"The #MeToo Movement was my absolute favorite."

—Taylor Stukes, Associate Manager

"My favorite social media moment was when Beyoncé revealed the twins on July 14th. There were three really big lasting impressions.

1) Continuity:

Beyoncé digitally announced her pregnancy on

"The social media push where women shared stories of sexual

February 1st, 2016. On her knees, in a simple bra and short-

harassment and opened up about their own personal experiences.

shorts, surrounded by flowers, but veiled in a dim studio. In the

#MeToo took something women had kept quiet about for so long

reveal she is standing, triumphant, proudly holding her twins and

and transformed it into a movement. Unlike many kinds of social

our imaginations. She is in a flowing gown, veil pushed back and

media activism, it was an attempt to get people to understand

basking in the sun. Again she is surrounded by flowers, natures

the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault in society then

symbol of fertility, but clearly she knows we will be captivated by

and now. To get women, and men, to speak up. To raise their

her and the babies. This almost indicates that she is supernatural.

hands. There is an overwhelming amount of work to be done when

2) The buildup was beyond exciting. Her social channels had gone

dealing with sexual predation - one in which women are belittled

dormant in the month leading up to the reveal, leaving followers

and abused and often pushed out of their industries altogether. But

salivating for that first look. 3) Lastly, she continues living with fierce

digging deeper and revealing this problem is revolutionary in its

independence. Beyoncé’s followers know that she has a supportive

own right."

—Jacqueline Dunderdale, Account Coordinator

husband, adoring sister and a fierce mother in her own right. But a conscience choice was made to be the singular noun and the verb.

Beyonce Beyoncé'd her twin reveal with continuity, buildup and fierce independence."

"The #MeToo Movement brought so much awareness to sexual

—Brandon Carter, Senior Director

harassment both inside the workplace and out. This also ties into Time Magazine’s Person of the Year award going to the “Silence Breakers.” Sexual harassment is far from a new concern in our

"Halle Berry took an inspiring trip to Kerala, India, and stole

society, but the second half of 2017 really brought a lot of much

Instagram's breath away. Her gorgeous photographs and videos

needed attention and light to it."

reinforced that high quality and unique content still matters in the

—Danielle Marchese, Executive Assistant

social space, regardless of who you are."

—Iana Kozelsky, Associate Manager

January 2018

29

"The shift in influencer marketing will continue to take a hard look at ROI as a means to driving brand and influencer partnerships.

Awareness is still key but whether an influencer can convert for the brand in traffic, share of voice and sales will be more accurately measured from leveraging influencers as paid social media

Most-Anticipated 2018 Social Media Trends

channels and distribution portals to conversion accountability.

Macro influencers will join the conversation between mass and micro and take a leading role as brand ambassadors.

- Influencers delivered 11 times more ROI than traditional digital

Now it’s time to do what we love most, look ahead. For 2018, video and influencers will surely continue to be part of the conversation, but we expect to see lots of change coming to social including a huge push in social technology to capture and cater to the millennial market. Forbes explains, “This year it is estimated that millennials in the U.S. alone will be spending $200 billion. By 2018, they will have the most spending power of any generation. Social media, is playing a huge role with 62% of millennials saying that if a brand engages with them on social networks, they are more likely to become a loyal customer.” With so much money sitting on social, brands will compete to integrate the newest technologies for a seamless sales experiences.

But this may hint at one of the biggest changes we expect to see in social content in 2018: a rise in authenticity from brands and influencers as the market becomes increasingly saturated and social becomes increasingly curated. Brands will figure out how to tell their story while remaining transparent and candid.

marketing. We’ll see that number double if not triple in 2018.

- In 2017, 94 percent of marketers reported positive results from their influencer campaigns. Expect this to shift as metrics and ROI are highly scrutinized against the dollars spent.

- 71 percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on a social media referral. Nearly every referral will be social, and everyday consumers will be counted as influencers to their circle of followers. We are all influencers to those who follow us, some with more reach than others, but every post can influence a purchase."

—Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Chief Digital Officer

"Paid social: It’s a pay to play space and there are still brands out there that don’t understand and appreciate the value of paid media, especially when it comes to targeting capabilities on Facebook.

Creating beautiful content for social without putting spend behind it is like hosting a dinner party without the guests! According to AdWeek, the following are the biggest advantages to a paid social strategy.

Speaking of candid, in 2018 will the candid selfie die? We’ve all loved the selfie in its shameless glory, but all good trends most evolve or risk coming to the end. While some argue that the selfie will be replaced by the “plandid” or a planned candid (that is picture perfect and Insta-ready photo meant to look casually unplanned), we think the beloved selfie is here to stay. There are still over 2.5 million selfies shared daily on social and the Museum of Selfies will open in 2018 in Los Angeles featuring interactive and immersive selfie exhibits.

We expect to see the selfie get a tech makeover with virtual reality, augmented reality and drones taking these personal shots to new heights. We also expect to see more raw selfies taken from the frontlines of social movements and activist struggles.

Scale: Paid media enables marketers to reach hundreds of millions of users on a daily basis that they wouldn’t be exposed to with organic posts Targeting: Brands can take advantage of Facebook’s endless targeting capabilities and reach their target consumer based on lookalike audiences from first party data, behavior targeting, demographics, location, competitor affinities, and purchasing behaviors. Users can be targeted on specific devices like mobile or desktop and during certain times of the day.

Optimization: when running paid media ads advertisers have the ability to make updates and changes to the ads in real time based on what is performing best and resonating with consumers.

Tracking: Each platform has its own pixel capabilities, which

Read on for more of our predictions.

enable tracking of on-site actions and audiences for retargeting.

Measurement: Metrics include video views, video retention, engagements, reach, impressions, website referral traffic, CPC, CTR, etc.

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The BrainTrust Quarterly

Facebook Messaging Ads + Customer Service Bots: More

"Indie/Alt Social Media Channels: I think we’ll see a rise in

and more users engage on Messenger with family, friends and

independent social media platforms, particularly for independent

businesses. Millennials especially prefer messaging over email and

groups that don’t feel their voice has a place or is respected on

certainly over using the phone. With over 1.2 billion users on the

mainstream channels. Gab and Codias are platforms that cater to

platform, Messenger is a great way to reach the target consumer.

conservatives and the alt-right movement. I think there is potential

Marketers can run ads directly on the messenger home screen or

for them to grow such as Breitbart News. This audience, and other

direct consumers with ads that lead to the messenger app. Along

groups who feel disenfranchised may opt to create their own

with Messenger communication is the use of chat bots. According

channels outstand of the norms. Think...Black Twitter works in the

to an article in Business Insider, phone centers may become a thing

mainstream platform for a few reasons. Overall, it’s more about

of the past as customer service switches to digital interactions. This

sharing common experiences across a platform where people who

most likely will not replace human interactions completely but will

identify as black were early adopters to the platform and have a

certainly limit it. Companies like Sephora have already integrated

highly saturated audience. I suspect people new to the space, with

this type of technology into Messenger.

unpopular views, may continue to create and build to their own spaces and channels.

Video: Video made a splash in 2017 and will not be going anywhere in 2018. This ties into influencer content (think IG stories

Augmented Reality: The iPhone 8 and X both have new technology

and influencers posting videos instead of the same stills in their

that allows the phone to provide an enhanced augmented reality

feed). According to Social Media Today, video is currently the most

experience Although initially geared toward advances in digital

engaging form of digital content and will only increase over time;

gaming, the technology is brimming for play in the social space

and Cisco says that 75% of the world's mobile data traffic will be

and is already here. Imagine trying on shoes in AR and asking

video by 2020. Facebook recently released an article stating that

friends on social which one they like best, or going to my local

'over the last year on a global scale, daily watch time for Facebook

theatre on a movie release and taking a selfie with the star in AR as

Live broadcasts has quadrupled and time spent watching video on

if I was at the red carpet premiere. Companies such as Magic Leap

Instagram has increased by 80%. 45% of people surveyed in the

are already making AR dreams a reality, and we can expect to see

U.S. and Canada told us they expect to consume even more video

this space go more mainstream in 2018.

on their smartphones in the future.' People are drawn to video and feel more connected to brands who use it, which is why influencers

Live Streaming, Good and Bad: I think that we are going to

have a huge opportunity to form deeper relationships with fans by

see a huge rise in what I will call passive live streaming. Currently

implementing a strong video strategy.

personalities stream actively when they are at events and want to expose their activities to their fans and followers. I imagine in 2018

ROI and Measuring Influencer Success: Brands still believe this

more people will wear cameras that record their day similar to how

isn’t measurable – but it most certainly is! Of course there are likes,

many precincts around the country have police officers who wear

shares, comments, hashtag use, etc. but we can also look at a

cameras for their shifts. This is understandably uncomfortable, but

client’s Google Analytics account and see if influencer campaigns

imagine how many times people have asked what’s a typical day for

had an impact on website traffic and branded search volume."

you? This would be a tool for that answer.

—Nicole Grossberg, Senior Manager, Digital Strategy Hangouts: Online hangout platforms have the potential to be huge in 2018. Although Google Hangouts did "I’m curious to see how brands will begin to introduce bots

on messaging apps. Louis Vuitton just launched a Facebook

not make the

biggest splash; it was geared to desktop computer instead of our mobile way of living. Now hangouts are mobile, a sort of multi-user

messaging bot for the holiday season, so we’ll see if other luxury

FaceTime for a group of GenZers. The app Houseparty lets up to

brands join the party. It’s even estimated that by 2020 85% of all

eight friends video chat. If you have ever been on a international

customer service interactions will be through chatbots. The balance

business conference call or are a GenXer that probably sounds like

between automated bots and human connection should play out in

a nightmare. For GenZers it’s a safe place to engage and a way to

interesting and exciting ways.

limit audiences to those you choose or those who are like minded.

I can see other platforms adopting this format very soon. LinkedIn

Also, I think everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what

could create a platform for group interviews and Facebook could

happens with Twitter after another rocky year. Will the platform

create live sub-groups; the potential is endless."

make it to 2019? Will it evolve in a miraculous, Hail Mary manner?

—Brandon Carter, Senior Director

Will an emerging platform deliver the final blow? My guess is Twitter still has some creative fight left in it and enough loyalists to hold (and gain) its ground. After all, we all love a comeback story."

—Paige Pope, Editor-in-Chief of BT Quarterly January 2018

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