This Week's Marketing Updates

TL;DR:

• Brazil Bans X After Disinformation Dispute and Legal Noncompliance.
• LinkedIn is now expanding its focus on video content with the introduction of in-feed carousels that showcase video clips in a side-scrolling format.
• Meta and Spotify are testing a feature for deeper music integration in Instagram, allowing users to continuously share their Spotify music through Instagram’s Notes.
• YouTube TV’s prank-filled open house for NFL Sunday Ticket surprised attendees with football players and announcers, ending with former NFL star Shannon Sharpe offering free access to the service.

Brazil Bans X: Formerly known as Twitter, X has been banned in Brazil for failing to appoint a new legal representative by a Supreme Court deadline and for not paying fines. The suspension follows a previous order to block several accounts accused of spreading disinformation, particularly targeting former President Jair Bolsonaro's supporters. Elon Musk has criticized the ban as politically motivated and detrimental to free speech, while X’s operational challenges in Brazil continue to impact its global activities.

LinkedIn Introduces In-Feed Video Carousels: LinkedIn has introduced in-feed video carousels that display algorithmically curated video clips in a side-scrolling format, designed to engage users with a TikTok-like full-screen video feed. This feature, launched in March, aims to capitalize on the platform's growing video content, which has seen a 34% year-over-year increase. However, there is some skepticism about whether these short-form videos will align with the professional tone of LinkedIn's user base.

Meta and Spotify Enhance Music Sharing with New Instagram Feature: Meta and Spotify are testing a new feature that allows users to continuously share their Spotify music through Instagram’s Notes, building on the existing capability to share 30-second song clips. This integration aims to automate song postings and enhance user engagement, blending social networking with music streaming. Although still in testing, this feature reflects ongoing efforts to deepen music integration within Instagram.

Football is back on YouTube TV: YouTube TV's recent open house in Los Angeles featured a surprise ad campaign for NFL Sunday Ticket, where attendees were shocked by football players and announcers bursting through walls. The prank, part of a broader marketing push, ended with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe offering free NFL Sunday Ticket access to participants. This stunt, along with other creator collaborations, highlights YouTube TV’s efforts to boost its NFL viewership and engage a wider audience.