So-Called Social: Week of October 1

Your weekly dose of social news.

So it’s October and I’m still wondering where this year has gone. Alas, here we are. This week, Twitter goes global with in-stream video ads, Doc Cloud launched some pretty sweet GIFs, and a law requires bots to disclose that they aren’t human. All of this and more below.

Social nets update stuff

Twitter is going global with in-stream video ads. Publishers can now go beyond their local markets to achieve global reach with these ads (previously they were only able to have in-stream ads inserted in videos that displayed in their home countries). And this naturally means that it’ll expand the platform’s video inventory for marketers.

YouTube updated a bunch of stuff this week. The platform is beefing up targeting options (using search and behavior data), introduced some new ad extensions in video ads (like being able to directly book a trip or download an app), and has teamed up with IRI to improve brand lift reporting and metrics. Boom.

In true copycat fashion, Facebook is following in YouTube and Twitch’s footsteps by launching Premieres, live polls, and fan badges. Premieres is a new interactive video format that allows creators to pre-record a video for fans, then release it during a viewing window they choose as more of a live event. Along with Premieres, YouTube is rolling out Top Fans — highlighting the creator’s most loyal fans (based on engagement) by displaying a badge next to their name.

Adobe does stuff

If you recall, the Creative Cloud social team recently launched a contest inviting aspiring artists to send us their creative elevator pitch explaining why Adobe should sponsor their trip to MAX 2018. We selected four incredible finalists with invitations to New York to deliver their final pitches to Scott Belsky — in an actual elevator! Well, it’s time to announce winners. Watch this video to see how it all went down.

ICYMI, Document Cloud had a cool release this week that empowers customers to work “like a boss” with the new Acrobat review service, mobile app advancements, and a unified experience across devices. I’m personally pumped for the three GIFs the Doc Cloud team launched the campaign with this week — PDF like a PRO, like a MOM, and like a CEO.

Other brands do stuff

EasyJet just launched Look&Book, a new search function in its app that’s pretty brilliant. The feature allows a user to feed it an Instagram picture of a location, which it then analyzes and determines the geolocation (using IG’s geotagging capabilities), and then serves up the best EasyJet route and flight options for reaching it.

Interesting stuff

Looks like there’s a new law in town. Last Friday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that requires bots to disclose (over the phone, online, or otherwise) that they are not human in their interactions with consumers. The move is directed at protecting consumers and voters from deception by bots posing as real people. Thinking this law — which goes into effect July 1, 2019 — will probably have national implications. Fascinating.

Fun stuff

These meme costumes for people who spend too much time online are pretty hilarious.

This drone footage of the fall foliage in Utah is unreal.

Hot Ones is my favorite. Chrissy Teigen is my favorite. So, Chrissy Teigen on Hot Ones is my favorite. (Some NSFW language is used, but how can you blame her with she’s eating wings at a Scoville level of more than 2,000,000?!)