Spotify has launched AUX, their industry-first music agency. Spotify will use their expertise to counsel brands about how best to use music to enrich their campaigns and leverage Spotify’s relationships with emerging artists to help them reach new audiences. This will enable richer experiences for fanbases, create more monetization opportunities for artists, and deliver greater impact for advertisers than ever before. This new offering also provides an additional way to help artists live off of their art. It’s an opportunity for Spotify to advocate for artists and ensure their music is connecting with fans in new ways on and off the platform. Meanwhile, by offering bespoke music-driven marketing strategies for brand partners, Spotify is unlocking a new way to deliver value for brand partners while creating a new revenue stream for their ad business.
New data from consumer research company GWI suggests Gen Z may no longer be the ‘woke’ generation. Despite typically being considered the group most in touch with societal, political and environmental issues, these latest findings show Gen Z are actually less likely (5%) to think altruistically than older generations. In fact, the most ‘woke’ generation is now Baby Boomers, with 70% believing all people should have equal rights. This compares to just 60% of Gen Z, representing a significant decrease of 15% in the last few years. The data comes from the latest Gen Z report, which busts the myths associated with this group, and their thoughts and feelings around societal issues.
Warner Bros. is launching an innovative Snapchat AR campaign to drive buzz for the upcoming blockbuster, Dune: Part Two. The new Dune: Part Two AR Lens takes Snapchatters inside the world of Dune, letting anyone become a Fremen as they ride one of the iconic Dune Sandworms. The Lens is inspired by the character and creature design from the movie to create an authentic virtual experience. It is now live in the US and Canada, and will follow with a roll out later in the month to international markets including England, Europe, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and more. In addition to the new Lens, Warner Bros. and Snap have created custom Cameo stickers for people to decorate their Snaps and share their excitement for the upcoming movie. The Dune: Part Two Lens and Cameo stickers will run alongside video ads for the film, which Snapchatters can tap to visit the dunemovie.com website and purchase tickets for the movie. The Lens can be accessed via the Snapchat Lens Carousel or by visiting the Dune Movie public profile on Snapchat.
Target Darts, a dart designer and manufacturer, has selected Brave Bison to optimise its ecommerce platform following a competitive pitch. The appointment follows a rapid growth period for Target Darts, which recently acquired a business in the US and already has a significant presence in Europe and APAC. In part, this growth is due to exposure from the company’s work with several world champions, including Rob ‘Voltage’ Cross and none other than 16x World Champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor. Its sponsorship of Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, recently led to a surge of sales from fans looking to shop the player’s range. Brave Bison was selected for the project for its ability to advise Target Darts on how and where to optimise for improved performance and modernisation. A factor that will be crucial as the business scales fast. This proficiency formed a pivotal part of the pitch process, which involved a working session to review and provide feedback on the scheduled pipeline of work. Its expertise in Adobe Commerce, as a strategic and certified partner of the core technology, was also cited as a reason for the appointment.
Retailers in the UK can offer customers a new zero-emissions delivery option when it comes to final mile delivery of their products. nShift, the global leader in parcel delivery management software, has confirmed zero-emissions carrier Fin as the latest edition to its library. Founded in 2022, Fin provides logistics services that create a positive impact on society and the environment. Deliveries are made exclusively using e-cargo-bikes and electric vans, meaning deliveries are emissions-free, while traffic congestion is reduced. Shoppers today increasingly choose to buy from brands and retailers whose values mirror their own. Around half of consumers report a willingness to pay more for “environmentally friendly” products or services. Meanwhile, 41% of shoppers will abandon their shopping carts if their preferred delivery provider was not available.
Seismic, the global specialist in enablement, has found that the number of CMOs responsible for sales enablement in EMEA has doubled over the past year, jumping from 10% in 2022 to 19% in 2023. The research, conducted in collaboration with the martech and sales enablement educator LXA, identifies a trend concerning a shift in sales enablement accountability as more organisations assign ownership to the marketing function. This presents a promising sign for overcoming operational siloes between business functions as they align their goals and unlock data-driven decision-making in a digital-first world.
