A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
MSNOW: MSNBC is rebranding as MS NOW to establish a distinct identity and compete with NBC News following NBCUniversal’s cable spin-off into Versant.
Scottie: Scottie Scheffler wins the BMW Championship.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
The Risk of Generalized Targeting
What It Is: E.l.f. Cosmetics’ recent ad featuring comedian Matt Rife sparked backlash despite the brand targeting him based on follower demographics, 80% female and 75% under 34, overlapping with their Gen Z audience. E.l.f. aimed to use humor to highlight makeup markups, but choosing a comedian with a history of making jokes at the expense of women backfired, leading to criticism from their mostly female audience. Although the brand issued an apology, the original ad remains live, raising concerns about the sincerity of their response. This situation emphasizes the importance of not just knowing who your audience is demographically, but understanding what they care about.
Brand Takeaway: This incident highlights the risk is generalized targeting. Gen Z is more multilayered than age or gender; brands need to consider attitudes, behaviors, and values beyond simple demos. Campaigns must reflect an understanding of audience values and sensibilities. If a brand chooses to apologize for a campaign misstep, it’s critical to take further action such as removing or adjusting the content itself.
A recap of what you might have missed while not online
The highly anticipated new Premier League season kicked off on Friday.
Target and Ulta Beauty announce they will be ending their in-store partnership.
Olandria and Nick tease their new NYX Cosmetics partnership.
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