Marketing News Roundup: October 04, 2022

Today we feature a round-up of some big events and recent industry happenings.

• Celebrate National Newspaper Week, October 2-8
• Two new video viewing experiences on Twitter
• Vistar Media strengthens Western Canada operations with Joe Lasala, Senior Account Executive
• Canadians can now display their NFTs on Instagram
• Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping

Read more below!

Celebrate National Newspaper Week , October 2-8

It is time to celebrate the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada! From October 2-8, Canadians will be celebrating National Newspaper Week.

National Newspaper Week (October 2-8, 2022) is an opportunity to recognize newspapers' critical role in an active and healthy democracy. To celebrate, News Media Canada has created a custom font entitled, Champions, available to all Canadians for free download at nationalnewspaperweek.ca. Inspired by the essential service that newspapers provide, the Champions font highlights the power of words and the people behind the press who use them to communicate essential information to Canadians every day. These real-life superheroes keep our democracy thriving through vibrant and independent news media.

PR practitioners who rely on Canadian newspapers as a conduit to tell their clients' stories are invited to show support for newspaper journalism by downloading the font. Participants may also share a photo on social of their team reading some of their favourite daily or community newspapers with a message about why they believe supporting Canadian newspapers continues to be critical to a healthy democracy. Don’t forget to tag @newsmediacanada and use #NationalNewspaperWeek and #ChampionsOfTheTruth.

source: News Media Canada

Two new video viewing experiences on Twitter

Videos are a huge part of the public conversation, and they’re one of the most engaging ways people can express themselves online. In fact, videos shared on Twitter receive billions of combined views every year (that’s billions with a “b”). To help make it easier to find and watch what’s happening, Twitter has rolled out two new updates to how you experience videos on Twitter. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect, and how to use them.

• Immersive viewing and easy discovery: Twitter’s updated immersive media viewer expands videos to full screen with a single click, allowing you to easily access the full, immersive viewing experience. To activate it, simply tap/click on a video in the Twitter app.
• Showing more videos in Explore: Say hello to the newest addition to Twitter’s Explore tab. With our new video carousel, you can now easily find more videos you like alongside Tweets and Trends that might interest you. Just open the Explore tab to discover some of the most popular videos being shared on Twitter. The video carousel is currently available to people in select countries using Twitter in English on iOS and Android.

Keep your eyes on Twitter for more updates on how we’re working to improve your media experience. Read the original blog post here.

Source: Twitter

Vistar Media Strengthens Western Canada Operations with Joe Lasala, Senior Account Executive

Vistar Media, the leading global provider of software for digital out-of-home (DOOH), has hired Joe Lasala as its newest Senior Account Executive in Western Canada. Lasala joins Vistar after having spent the last nine years selling data-driven programmatic solutions to partners in Western Canada with Exponential and Quantcast.

Lasala has worked both in-house and at agencies across some of Canada’s most competitive sectors, providing him with a deep understanding of the needs of both buyers and planners in the programmatic space. In his new role, Lasala will lead Vistar’s programmatic DOOH business and offer area expertise to partners across Western Canada.

“We are excited to welcome Joe to Vistar Media’s Western Canada team,” said Scott Mitchell, Managing Director, Canada at Vistar Media. “Joe’s extensive and highly in-demand programmatic expertise will serve our clients well in the region.”

“Our ongoing growth in the market is bolstered by his addition, especially given Joe’s focus on delivering high-quality results for stakeholders and clients, along with the contributions he’s already made to our culture here at Vistar,” Mitchell added.

“In my over 12 years of experience in providing advertising solutions to partners in Western Canada, I couldn't be more energized to join the Vistar team amid its rapid expansion in the region,” said Joe Lasala, Senior Account Executive at Vistar Media. “It’s an exciting time for the DOOH space, and I look forward to bringing my learnings to the team as we continue innovating and providing best-in-class solutions in the region.”

Vistar Media is the leading global provider of programmatic technology for out-of-home, bringing enterprise-grade software that was purpose-built for the unique requirements of digital signage. Vistar provides a global demand-side platform (DSP) for buyers to activate data-driven programmatic campaigns and a supply-side platform (SSP) to connect signage operators to digital revenue. Vistar also powers some of the world’s most advanced signage networks with device & content management software (Cortex) and ad serving technology. Vistar was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in New York, NY. For more information, visit www.vistarmedia.com.

Source: Vistar Media

Canadians can now display their NFTs on Instagram

Meta is making digital collectibles available on Instagram in Canada by enabling everyone to share NFTs on the platform.

Meta is building a range of tools to help creators at all stages grow and build an audience. Web3 technologies like blockchain and tokens like NFTs are an important aspect of the economic and community-building potential of the metaverse. The initial steps we are taking to enable NFTs on our platforms are one way we're working to make these technologies easier for people to use and more accessible to everyone.

Creators across Canada are experimenting with new ways to connect with their audience and promote their work. Meta is introducing Canadian multidisciplinary designer, Will Selviz, who specializes in immersive media technologies and uses his work to tell stories about the immigrant experience and the meaning of “home.”

Will released one of his digital collectables for the first time on Instagram, ahead of his interactive exhibit at Nuit Blanche in Toronto this Saturday. “Entropy in Protopia: Genesis” explores the future through an afro-surrealist lens, and addresses themes of underrepresentation, mainstream media, and developing nations. Read more about his vision here.

Source: Meta

Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping

Social media influencers still hold influence, as it turns out. New data from Afterpay uncovered influencer recommendations are almost twice as likely to affect Gen Z purchasing decisions. When asked if they believe social media influencers use the products they promote, 25 percent of Gen Z said yes.

"Gen Zs have a progressive outlook on consumption, anchored in social values and passion for the environment. They’re also looking for brands to leverage technology to provide a seamless and more convenient shopping experience." Said Ryann Carruthers, general manager, Afterpay Canada. "Budgeting tools like BNPL are enabling more choices for Gen Z, informed by their interest in financial wellness — with 47 percent of users turning to Afterpay. The data reflects this intersection of needs is complex, and there isn’t always alignment between how Gen Z acts and feels — businesses can get ahead of the curve by identifying this.”

In a recent survey, Afterpay found the top three major Gen Z findings, including an overview of the critical shopping trends to be aware of and an analysis of responses from a survey of over 2,000 adults from the U.S. & Canada. Read more in Afterpay’s Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping report.

Source: Afterpay

Compiled by Emma Whiten, Editor of Marketing News Canada