Ryan Mckenzie’s Post

TikTok out in 2050, while mass fashion stuck in 80's mall glory days Now they're offering SORA AI-like tools Scaling single persons into media companies It's always been about the algorithm though & what it means for distribution TikTok's massive UGC library is THE advantage in the next content drives commerce arms race With 167M TikToks viewed every minute - they have trillions of videos spanning diverse topics, styles, & formats An ideal training ground for AI to learn the intricacies of video creation, editing, & storytelling DATA IS THE MOAT A data advantage so invaluable they own the entire content to commerce ecosystem By leveraging an infinite repository of UGC, TikTok's AI models will generate more authentic, engaging, and CONTEXT-AWARE videos in a single click All you need to know is what's trending in real time Sell products that are on trend, leveraging on trend content, w/creators that are trending Something mass fashion doesn't do well as evidenced by the historic glut of unsold inventory + the highest amount of stockouts in history TikTok's key advantage is controlling the content creation & distribution ecosystem Know what to serve to whom & when If you're a day late, you can't sell your things Sora et al must rely on 3rd party platforms for distribution More importantly they will not be able to help w/being on trend w/the right communities, which is how social commerce works TikTok's deep understanding of user behavior, trend, entertainment, format, preferences will allow creators to make data-driven decisions content, optimizing for maximum engagement, reach And monetization The whole point of social commerce If I were a creator & knew what was trending in real-time, I would create my own fun TT of this week's #1 halara dress... We've all seen it, every commerce creator on the platform has created a TikTok... Yet this creator cut through the noise: "This is THE best marketing I've seen for one of these 😂😂" "As a Marketing Director, this is solid gold advertising 🙌🏻" "Listen. This is the 10,000th ad I've seen for this dress. It's the same dress, but I think you've sold me 🥲" "I've been seeing ads for this dress for years, and yours was the first that made me actually buy it. Thank you lmao" A user-friendly, intuitive interface for text-based video generation, robust editing + customization, will further cement TikTok's position as the destination for AI-powered creation & promotion TikTok just put social commerce on a rocket Forecasted to be an $11.1 TRILLION market b4 this announcement - wtaf now Our exec bros must be both students + participants in culture If you're a leader who is not on TikTok then how can you evaluate product or content ideas? And how are you going to do it when a creator can scale herself from 1 to hundreds of TikToks every day w/the click of a single button... #thegreatfashionreset #creatoreconomy #c2m #contentistheproduct #tiktokisthestore #tiktokmademebuyit

Gap is a commoditized brand that risks losing ALL relevance if it doesn’t build stronger brand associations Nice to have an ai pov But you could insert most mass fashion brands… Let's compare Gap to Trap (my real time data never fails to disappoint) Trap only posted a few dozen times before this month to sell the Wyze Cam Pan v3 the #1 Smart Camera on TikTok Shop (smart choice to begin with!) https://lnkd.in/edffgmWf In just this week alone, Trap gained a staggering 265k new followers (screenshot linked in comments) She now has over 210k more followers than Gap's entire TikTok account proving individual creators are surging past corporate titans overnight when giving real reviews of the products they love She wants one in every room it's sooo useful Trap's authentic persona and relatable storytelling had me questioning if I need that smart camera to catch my Gen Z daughters swiping my Sunday Riley tumeric serum (#iykyk) and prevent a potential divorce from having to constantly repenish! In the era of ultra-fast fashion juggernauts like SHEIN, legacy brands can't simply compete on price and product alone You have to compete on improving other things like: quality, pov, experience, content etc Because every day your consumers are actively discovering alternatives through content that relates and solves problems c-suits can't possibly fathom because they don't have the same issues Your legacy will not carry you into the future – it lacks the social proof and equity to compete in the era of content driven commerce To thrive you need to find a common link to engage with real people, align with real time conversations, and across communities with like interests that will build engagement past a transaction Please understand your past reputation and market position buys you no loyalty In fact it's a hindrance against individuals driving modern commerce through raw relatability Because it fosters stickier engagement beyond just transactional relationships With a mere 54k followers since 2017, Gap exemplifies the struggle to build the strong emotional connections and authentic engagement that modern consumers demand especially in comparison to the rapid growth of individual creators who are better able to relate to their audiences As AI content creation tools like SORA AI become ubiquitous, brands must urgently evolve to captivate audiences where everyone has a high quality studio in their pocket Because in the first era of people-powered commerce, TikTok democratized content creation for the individual But tools like SORA democratize distribution for everyone at unprecedented scale, utterly transforming commerce once again Don't fall into the Trap :) If you cannot inspire authentic emotional resonance you will be relegated to irrelevance as the individual influence economy continues rapidly reshaping commerce as we know it #thegreatfashionreset #creatoreconomy #C2M #communitycommerce #contentistheproduct #tiktokisthestore

Today’s top brands are letting their customers do the talking. In the creator economy, polished and paid media doesn’t cut it anymore, nor does the simple act of trend-chasing. No—this year, customers were brands’ top spokespersons. dcdx, a Gen Z research and strategy lab, ranked the top 25 “magnetic brands” of 2024, defined as brands that are “attracting consumers, controlling their own ecosystems, driving pricing power, fueling innovation and distancing themselves from competitors.” Each brand was given a “Gen Z score,” a ranking out of 100 that the company creates by analysing a brand’s engagement and consistency of organic user-generated content, or UGC, on TikTok. According to dcdx, UGCs are the most important metric for brands today, with consumers four times more likely to be influenced by UGC versus an influencer post. “The top brands in this year’s rankings let culture take the wheel, enabling their communities and fans to shape the narrative around them — ultimately fueling organic momentum and excitement,” said Andrew Roth, founder and CEO of dcdx. “These brands did not chase the zeitgeist, they created it.” Here are dcdx’s top 25 brands by engagement and consistency of organic UGC on TikTok and their Gen Z score out of 100. Disney – 98.4 Roblox – 98.3 Twitch – 97.6 NBA – 96.3 Apple – 96.2 Netflix – 94.3 Amazon – 93.4 Target – 92.7 Spotify – 91.9 McDonald’s – 91.8 Wingstop – 89.5 Walmart – 89.0 Sephora – 88.9 NFL – 87.9 Raising Cane’s – 87.6 Chipotle – 86.6 Starbucks – 86.1 DoorDash – 84.0 ChatGPT – 83.6 Crocs – 82.4 Red Bull – 82.3 Nintendo – 81.9 Coca-Cola – 81.6 Google – 81.3 Shein – 81.1 Check the full report below for more details 👇🏼

Hold on a Second: Why Premium Brands Shouldn't Ignore TikTok Shop (Despite the Concerns) The recent post claiming TikTok Shop is a graveyard for premium brands raises some interesting points. However, I believe it paints an overly simplistic picture. Let's break down the concerns and explore why many established, high-end brands are actually finding success on TikTok Shop. Rethinking the Platform: 1. Beyond Impulse Buys: Yes, TikTok is known for trendy content, but luxury brands like NuFace are using the platform strategically. They're offering exclusive bundles and leveraging the "TikTok Made Me Buy It" phenomenon to reach a new, engaged audience. It's not just impulse buys – it's targeted discovery. 2. Building Brand Beyond Virality: While virality plays a role, many creators are highly invested in building long-term communities. Partnering with the right creators allows premium brands to tap into genuine storytelling and brand connection, not just fleeting trends. 3. Cohesive Brand Voice: There's a misconception that creators dilute brand identity. In fact, successful collaborations maintain core brand messaging while allowing creators to express it in their unique style. The key is to find brand-aligned creators and provide clear guidelines. 4. Diversifying Revenue Streams: While viral moments are fantastic, they're not the only strategy. Many brands are using TikTok Shop for consistent sales growth, not just one-off spikes. Pre-orders, exclusive content, and influencer partnerships all contribute to a more predictable revenue flow. 5. Fees and Margins: Let's be honest, margins are tight in today's market. Despite this, TikTok Shop charges much less than Amazon, giving you more breathing room to profit and grow your brand. The Old Way of Branding Doesn't Fly on TikTok Frankly, brands get caught up in the old way of branding – a one-size-fits-all, controlled message. TikTok thrives on authenticity and connection. Premium brands that embrace this shift and collaborate with the right creators can achieve remarkable results. The Takeaway: TikTok Shop is a powerful tool, but it requires a strategic approach. Premium brands can leverage the platform's reach and creator community to build brand awareness, engage new audiences, and ultimately drive sales. It's not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for those willing to adapt, TikTok Shop can be a valuable weapon in their digital arsenal. — 🛎️ Follow me Ivan Bagaybagayan for more TikTok Shop content ♻️ Repost this if you find this valuable #TikTokShop #PremiumBrands #LuxuryBrands #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing

"𝗨𝗚𝗖: 𝗔 𝗳𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?" This was a question we got asked recently by a new client when we proposed the art direction for their new brand should be in the style of UGC, or actual UGC where possible. My response? "𝗜'𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆..." 𝟭. 𝗡𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 '𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 Over stylised photoshoots are obvious, and they have a place. But, no brand is going to go from being seen as more in touch and in tune with their customers, to back to the old way of obvious selling. 𝟮. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 There's A LOT of brands using UGC in their marketing campaigns right now... especially on Social Media. And that's clever. These kind of images blend effortlessly into the 'IRL' feeds of users, and draw people in. 𝟯. 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 Go onto any retail site or app, and scroll to the bottom of a product shot, what do you see? REAL people wearing the clothes, using the products, giving their feedback. People love to read reviews from other people. Showing people wearing or using your product, aids all of that, and gets you to conversion town quicker. 𝟰. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 We are all those people, taking pics for the gram, or for a reel, or for a TikTok post. People want to create their own beautiful content, so give them places, things, experiences to take pictures of. Encourage their content creation. 𝟱. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 We are seeing a big move away from huge influencers who charge a fortune for one post with your product. Using real people, with a real love for your product, who also have real engagement, means you can run more diverse, wider reaching campaigns, that your customers see as authentic. 𝗦𝗼, 𝘆𝗲𝗮, 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗚𝗖 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁... 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿... I think we are going to see more brands - especially those with a physical presence, adapting, and evolving their spaces to better facilitate the creation of UGC. 👗 Dressing rooms will become well lit, mini studios. ✨ Mini activations with pop up that people can interact with. 👫 Audiences will be incentivised and encouraged to create. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗚𝗖 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗽. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮' 𝗮𝗴𝗲... 𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? P.S. I have created enough UGC for Guinness in my time, don't you think? 👀 ----------------------------------------------- #marketing #ugc #content #contentcreation

Examining Makeup Marketing's Future: A Series Social media is having a significant impact on the dramatic changes taking place in the beauty business. In addition to changing the way beauty firms interact with their consumers, platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have also revolutionised the art of marketing in this dynamic and ever changing industry. We'll examine how brands are adapting to new trends, technology, and changing consumer behaviour to stay ahead of the competition in the beauty marketing space in this five-part blog series. Each post will look at the tactics influencing the direction of beauty marketing, from the effects of influencer partnerships and immersive content to the smooth integration of e-commerce within social media platforms. Join me as we uncover how makeup brands are revolutionising their approaches, fostering stronger connections, and redefining the beauty experience for the next generation of consumers. Whether you’re a beauty enthusiast, a marketer, or simply curious about the evolving world of makeup, this series will offer valuable insights into the direction the industry is heading. https://lnkd.in/eg3_cD7G

Memes have become a powerful tool for brands, especially when it comes to engaging with younger audiences like Gen Z. But why are so many big brands turning to memes? The answer lies in their ability to capture attention in a way that's fun, relatable, and not overtly sales-driven. In a digital landscape flooded with ads, consumers—especially Gen Z—are increasingly wary of traditional marketing tactics. They don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to directly. Instead, they prefer authentic, entertaining content that resonates with their personal experiences and sense of humor. A great example is the latest meme Restaurant Marketing created for Yogurtland! Memes, by their very nature, are shareable, quick-hitting, and emotionally engaging. When a brand uses a meme, it’s not just pushing a product or message—it’s becoming part of a conversation. This makes the interaction feel more organic, as if the brand is in on the joke, rather than selling from the outside. For Gen Z, this authenticity is key. They tend to distrust blatant advertising but respond well to brands that “get them” and speak their language. Additionally, memes create opportunities for virality. If the meme is clever or timely, it can spread across platforms, increasing brand visibility with minimal investment. This is an especially appealing factor for big brands trying to stand out in crowded markets. By weaving themselves into meme culture, they’re not just marketing—they’re creating cultural moments, driving engagement in a way that feels playful and relevant, rather than forced.

User-generated content (UGC) is widely regarded as more authentic and reliable here are key findings from a 2021 Stackla’s report highlight UGC’s growing influence on purchasing decisions: - Nearly 8 out of 10 people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions 8.7x more impactful than influencer content - 72% of people say photos and videos from real customers is the content they most want to see on eCommerce sites when making purchasing decisions - 59% of respondents say content created by other consumers (i.e. UGC) is the most authentic type of content Link: https://lnkd.in/gv42KA8v

Is the rise of influencer promotion dead? The answer is both yes and no. While creator User Generated Content is larger than ever, consumers are more likely to take a recommendation from a friend or a small scale creator than an influencer with 100k+ followers. To learn more about the changing consumer landscape, check out my latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/gnd4nmdx #UGC #ByMadisonPorter

What sets creator marketing apart when it comes to intangible products like fragrance? Our Co-Founder & CEO Jamie Ray sat down with Forbes' Sharon Edelson to unpack how creator marketing has been driving the fragrance boom, what makes it so effective, and how Buttermilk has been harnessing this approach for brands like #Prada, #Mugler and #Valentino. “You think about that creative direction and what it means from an influencer perspective. We've worked with thousands of creatives who embodied that. The content was very provocative, very avant-garde, super sensual and the creative direction captured a mood and a feeling. Even though someone couldn’t smell it, the consumer understands exactly what that fragrance represents. You can actually tell a story.” Discover more: https://bit.ly/3zAGqFB #FragranceMarketing #FragranceBoom #InfluencerMarketing