Lakers: The Denver Nuggets rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of of the NBA playoffs.
#WorldBookDay: People are celebrating books and the power of the written word.
Love Drought: Beyoncé fans are discussing their favorite songs on Lemonade on the eighth anniversary of the album's release.
Celebrities and Social Media Features
What it is: For nearly a decade, music artists like Beyoncé and The Weeknd have promoted their upcoming projects in part by “deleting” everything from their Instagram accounts using the platform’s archive feature. The tactic has long been synonymous with artists cryptically announcing their new eras are on the way, and, more recently, some music titans are testing out new social media features to create buzz. In early April, Billie Eilish added all of her Instagram followers to her Close Friends list – an inner space on Instagram that the average user reserves for a select group of people. Rather than post to Close Friends about a night out or a relationship moment for a small group of friends to see (like you or I might do), Eilish generated widespread intrigue for her upcoming album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, quickly gaining 6 million new Instagram followers. Instagram also recently incorporated a new feature on Taylor Swift’s account, which revealed a countdown of The Tortured Poets Department when followers refreshed her page. The queen of easter eggs generated even more momentum for the album's roll-out by using the exclusive feature to prompt fans to "join the conversation on Threads," which Swift joined upon TTPD's release.
What brands can learn: Brands should look to celebrities' promotional use of social media features as case studies for how to engage followers in new, unexpected ways. Celebrities and brands alike have now "deleted" everything from their Instagram accounts to draw attention to new products, and it's likely a matter of time before more exploratory tactics like Close Friends drops become the norm. The roles of different social media platforms are also less rigid and more fluid than ever, and it's not off the table for brands to explore inventively using one to promote another or to engage more niche communities on platforms like Discord. Whatever the approach, being nimble and adaptive to show up unexpectedly for followers will go a long way in creating anticipation while also meeting their needs.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
TikTok user @mirithesiren received a Shake Shack sponsorship days after Chick-fil-A asked her to stop posting employee meal videos 📱
The latest X meme asks users to look between two letters on their keyboard ⌨️
Rihanna has changed her iconic Instagram profile picture to a Fenty Beauty product 🥲
Did you see Countess Luann de Lesseps' Earth Day post? 🌏
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