Tameka Bazile’s Post

This was a groundbreaking moment, last week. Creator and beauty brand founder, Stormi Steele hit a wild $1M GMV in a single livestream with her brand, Canvas Beauty - which was TikTok's first $1M shopping livestream. So, what’s the big picture here for brands? TikTok is poised to be THE live shopping platform, drawing expertise from its Chinese counterpart, Douyin. They have the attention, infrastructure, and scale to dominate this space. Think of TikTok as the QVC of social media, where creator-driven content is the core of its shopping experience. The content that they generate is essentially a series of product description pages (PDPs). Let’s talk about Canvas Beauty. Stormi Steele has crafted a skin and hair care brand that celebrates and caters to a largely African American customer base she deeply understands and serves authentically. But here’s the kicker: Stormi got to this this milestone from her personal account, not a brand page. Anecdotes: 1️⃣ Personal brands are the home of live shopping. 2️⃣ People buy from people. Her audience and community trust her, and that genuine connection translates into incredible sales. 3️⃣ Creator partnerships should be integrated into your entire marketing funnel: awareness, consideration, conversion, and retention. 4️⃣ Long-term collaborations with creators are the key, rather than one-off campaigns. 5️⃣ Start thinking about cross-branded collaborations, especially with creators that already have and promote their brand 6️⃣ For live shopping, forget about your website being the main focus. 7️⃣ If you're not a creator, your creator relationships are a crucial investment. Adapt and invest accordingly.

THE CAMPAIGN THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING!! A clothing brand partnered with us and emphasized achieving three main things. Developing a loyal (organic) community online, more followers, and engagement on Instagram. After brainstorming, we devised a marketing campaign and executed it flawlessly enabling us to use one stone to kill three birds. RESULT: Before the campaign, the clothing brand had low to no engagements online with less than 100 followers on Instagram. The campaign however helped the brand have a high and organic rate of engagements of 1.5K reach during the period of the campaign. The brand was able to filter the engagement and fish out the audience that is now part of the brand's community. Also because it was organic they had real-life engagements on their page to date. Their Instagram page followers increased from less than a hundred to 310 followers and to the brand that was more than enough since they were all real users that are interested in what they had to offer. This excludes the efforts made later on with targeted ads. NOTE: This campaign doesn't apply to all niches. Certain factors contributed to the success of this campaign. What do you think they were? Share your opinion in the comment section.

 🚀 Unlocking the Power of Gen Z: Key Insights for Brands 🌟 Understanding Gen Z is crucial for brands aiming to stay relevant and build lasting connections. Some key insights from the ADWEEK article that every brand needs to know: 1.     Authenticity is King 👑 Gen Z values authenticity and transparency. Brands that align with their social values and demonstrate genuine commitment to causes like mental health, social justice, and environmental sustainability gain loyalty. This generation is quick to spot insincerity and values the brands that "walk the talk.” 2.     Social Media Savvy 📱 Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are not just for entertainment; they are the new search engines for Gen Z. They prefer visual content and use these platforms to discover everything from fashion tips to educational content. Brands need to create engaging, visual content to capture their attention. 3.     Influencer Impact 🌟 Influencers play a significant role in Gen Z's purchasing decisions. They prefer micro-influencers who seem more relatable and authentic. Brands should leverage influencer partnerships to create authentic connections and boost their credibility among this discerning audience. 4.     Values-Driven Purchases 🌍 Gen Z cares deeply about the ethical practices of the brands they support. They are more likely to spend money on brands that align with their values and are socially responsible. This makes it essential for brands to promote their products, values, and ethical practices. 5.     Tech-Savvy and Multi-Device Users 💻📱 Growing up in a digital world, Gen Z is extremely tech-savvy. They switch between multiple devices throughout the day and expect seamless experiences across all platforms. Brands need to adopt a multi-channel strategy to engage with this generation effectively. Embrace these insights to build stronger connections with Gen Z and drive your brand's success in the digital age! 🌐💡 #GenZ #MarketingStrategy #Branding #DigitalMarketing #SocialMedia #Authenticity #InfluencerMarketing #ValuesDriven #TechSavvy #ConsumerBehavior

Social media is an excellent platform for brands to show their personality and engage with their audience in a more relaxed manner, but there's a fine line between banter and antagonism. This thread, instead of coming across as friendly competition, felt more like two competitors trying too hard to outdo each other. The playful tone quickly shifted into something that could be seen as petty and unprofessional. Missed Opportunities: 1. Instead of engaging in back-and-forth banter, both brands could have focused on providing value to their followers by offering tips, advice, or insights related to their services. This approach would have not only highlighted their expertise but also reinforced their commitment to customer education and support. Community managers have the opportunity to steer conversations toward constructive, value-driven content, rather than letting them spiral into unproductive exchanges. 2. The conversation could have been an opportunity to highlight customer benefits rather than internal squabbles. By focusing on the advantages to customers, both brands could have reinforced their commitment to service. 3. Both brands deviated from their usual tones of voice. Discovery Bank’s comment about voting stations, and Capitec’s retort about customer numbers, felt out of character. Maintaining consistency in brand voice is crucial to building trust and recognition. Brands must remember that while social media allows for a more relaxed tone, it's still a public space where interactions are scrutinized. Banter can be an excellent tool for engagement, but it should never cross the line into hostility or pettiness. Instead, it should reinforce the brand's identity, focus on the customer, and, if done with competitors, maintain a spirit of good-natured competition. In this instance, both Discovery Bank and Capitec Bank could have used the opportunity to celebrate advancements in banking technology and customer convenience, rather than descending into a tit-for-tat exchange. As community managers, we need to be mindful of the tone and direction of our engagements. What might start as playful banter can quickly escalate into something that doesn't reflect well on the brand. Let's strive to keep our interactions light, positive, and most importantly, aligned with our brand values.

Glossy spot on! When a company creates a strong brand with an authentic voice it will resonate with your audience. The points in this article can also be applied to so many industries.

This Glossy piece by Lexy Lebsack is fantastic. Just going to drop this little excerpt right here: Where do you think brand leaders have the hardest time when it comes to nailing their brand identity? What are they missing when building their teams? “I’ve worked at a lot of companies and almost none of them give copy and content the focus and time that they need. The brand story comes from your copywriters, which comes from your brand strategist. Far too often, I’ll talk to brands that have a social media manager, creative director, art director and graphic designer, but no copywriter. Your brand needs good copy in order to survive, because you cannot have a successful brand if that voice isn’t there. You can have gorgeous visuals, but if you’re saying something that everyone else in the world is saying, or something that was obviously written by ChatGPT or someone who doesn’t love writing, it’ll be obvious to the consumer and it’ll dilute your message.” 🗣 Say it louder for the people in the back 🗣 #contentmarketing #brandmarketing

Framework for social first brands in 2025

💡 Stanley Thermos Frenzy: A Tale of Consumer Chaos, Social Media Magic, and Emotional Branding 💡 In the midst of a frenzy surrounding Stanley thermos bottles, their stock (GETY) experienced a -0.69% dip. The stainless steel bottles, originally priced between $45 and $50 at Target, have triggered a chaotic consumer craze. Exclusive models are being resold on eBay for as much as $11,000, with reports of thefts, customer stampedes, and employee dismissals for stealing. The situation reached new heights when a California woman was arrested for stealing a substantial quantity valued at $2,500. The madness, driven by extreme commodification and social media, has led to viral videos of customers scrambling for limited edition items. The Atlantic suggests that the "Stanley craze" lacks a rational explanation, attributing it to being the right product at the right time. The role of social media marketing in Stanley's popularity surge is evident. The century-old brand, originally known for durable lunchboxes, rebranded to target a more selective audience, including wellness influencers and internet trend followers. This shift resulted in a remarkable revenue growth from $73 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023. The New York Times highlighted the brand's rise, starting with a recommendation blog, The Buy Guide, which pressured Stanley to release new models. The company shifted its focus to young women, investing in diverse cup designs and affiliating with companies like Starbucks, leveraging influencers to boost sales. TikTok played a crucial role in amplifying the trend, especially among enthusiasts of premium water bottles like Hydro Flask and Yeti. The marketing strategy of sporadic releases, akin to sneaker culture, fueled anticipation and scarcity, reinforcing the fear of missing out (FOMO). Matt Navarro, Stanley's Senior Vice President of Global Commerce, emphasized the emotional connection consumers have with the brand, evident in the 700 million views under the #StanleyTumbler tag on TikTok. The company witnessed a 275% YoY increase in Quencher model sales and a 215% surge in their bestselling hydration category. In conclusion, the Stanley phenomenon exemplifies the power of strategic marketing, social media influence, and emotional branding, transforming a utilitarian product into a cultural sensation with a significant impact on sales and consumer behavior.

🤳 Photo-sharing app BeReal, which rose to prominence during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, recently announced expansion plans that position it as a potential competitor for similar networks like Instagram. 📢 “Launching February 6th, official accounts will allow you to add some of your favorite celebrities and brands to your BeReal experience,” the company said in a press release. “These figures will create BeReal accounts and share content that you can engage with in unique ways by becoming a RealFan of that person or brand.” 💡 So, how exactly can brands take advantage of the upcoming RealBrands expansion? We have a few different ideas for your brand to try out: ✅ Posting sneak peeks on new products or articles. ✅ Promoting upcoming events. ✅ Engaging in new memes or trends. 🔗👇 Read more about BeReal's plans for brands to become more personable than ever and how you can leverage these new features at the article below. #SocialMedia #Trends #BrandEngagement

Writing about how to market to Gen Z makes me feel ancient, but recently Vogue shared an article about marketing fashion and beauty brands and the lessons here shouldn’t be ignored. While Gen Z grew up ignoring traditional online marketing tactics, this hasn’t deterred them from engaging in social media. The difference is that they are savvier in their approach, relying on community reviews (the comment section, tagged posts, and community forums) rather than only listening to (and trusting) what the brand has to say. These folks rely heavily on social media to get inspiration, information, and assess the brand's cool-factor to make purchasing decisions. When marketing to this audience, brands need to think of social media as less of an advertising tactic and more of a world-building device. Gen Z are voracious product researchers and values-driven brand advocates. They are looking to connect to brands and it’s our job as marketers to create the world a brand’s advocates can enjoy, both online and IRL. So how do you do this? 💎 Focus on creating and nurturing fans by speaking to their values, educating, and entertaining.   💎 Choose partners that share your values. Influencers are still influential but you must choose wisely. 💎 Reward affinity. Loyalty is measured in brand affinity (following on social and telling friends), not necessarily repeat purchases.  💎 Engage in the comment section. 💎 Be transparent. Gen Zs are not impulse shoppers and will do extensive research on products before buying. This audience has a keen awareness of value so notes on price, fit, materials, manufacturing practices, and comment sections on social are all key points of research. TL;DR: Community is everything  Entertain and educate  Speak to your values There’s no such thing as too much information Looking for inspiration from brands who do this really, really well? Look to Maguire Shoes and Londre Bodywear for Canadian fashion brands who really get their customers.