In the Know: Your Weekly Marketing Digest

Welcome to Aspire’s weekly marketing digest! 

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is essential for marketers. But with the marketing landscape constantly evolving, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest trends and developments. 

That's where we come in. 

Each week, we’ll deliver a quick breakdown of the most significant news and insights in the world of social media and brand marketing — all in one convenient resource. Check back every Friday to stay in the know!

March 2025

Week of March 10, 2025

• Unilever bets on influencers: Unilever’s new CEO, Fernando Fernandez, is doubling down on influencer marketing, increasing social media spend from 30% to 50% and working with 20 times more influencers. He aims to expand hyper-local campaigns, leverage AI for content creation, and strengthen Unilever’s presence in key global markets.
• TikTok ban delay: Trump signaled he may extend TikTok’s April 5 sale deadline, marking a shift from his earlier push to ban the app. Rising US-China tensions, including new tariffs, could impact the deal.
• Top brands are evolving their influencer strategies: Brands like Crocs, Southwest, and Instacart are shifting ad budgets toward influencer marketing, leveraging creators for campaign casting, shoppable ads, and community engagement. This shift reflects a broader move toward social-first strategies, with brands prioritizing authenticity, social commerce, and creator-driven content over traditional media.‍
• The evolution of influencer marketing:Influencer marketing has evolved from simple collaborations to a broader strategy, with brands now integrating creator content across all marketing channels including TV, OOH ads, and ecommerce sites. To succeed, brands should plan content placements, brief creators for multiple formats, invest in post-production, and test creator content alongside brand-produced content for optimal results.

Week of March 3, 2025

• The future of TikTok: TikTok's future in the US is uncertain amid legal battles and ongoing acquisition talks, with investors like Frank McCourt’s "People’s Bid" and a consortium led by Jesse Tinsley competing for ownership. The app's fate hinges on potential ownership changes, with major companies like Oracle, Walmart, and Microsoft expressing interest.
• Bluesky’s Instagram alternative: Flashes, a new photo-sharing app built on Bluesky's AT Protocol, gained 30,000 downloads in its first 24 hours, offering customizable feeds, portfolio features, and photo filters. It allows users to post content that reaches Bluesky's wider audience, with 40,500 downloads by Thursday.
• Olipop’s influencer strategy: Olipop grew from a small startup to a $1.85 billion brand, proving that small businesses can succeed with influencer marketing on a budget. The brand’s strategy involved testing multiple smaller influencers, using gifting to build authentic relationships, and leveraging platforms to scale efforts without needing a large team, all while prioritizing organic content and tracking performance to focus on successful partnerships.
• Gen Z trusts influencers: Fortune delved into why Gen Z trusts social media influencers over experts, discovering that influencers feel more relatable and engaging, offering quick, accessible advice that resonates with their audience. This shift reflects a preference for content that aligns with their interests and builds trust through familiarity.
• Creator economy challenges: The creator economy faces challenges from shifting platform priorities, AI-generated content, and declining trust in influencers, with many creators struggling to maintain influence. Despite challenges, the future remains promising for those who diversify or offer unique value.‍
• Influencer advocacy impact: Brands should shift their focus from just awareness and conversions to advocacy by leveraging influencer partnerships to build long-term trust and community engagement. Brand lift studies show how creators drive lasting loyalty and impact beyond immediate sales.

February 2025

Week of February 24, 2025

• TikTok consumer spending hits $6B: TikTok shattered records in 2024, becoming the first non-game app to hit $6 billion in in-app purchases, more than doubling the revenue of any other app. With a booming creator economy and rising consumer spending, TikTok continues to dominate both revenue and engagement.
• RMNs leverage influencers: Retail media networks like Walmart, Amazon, and Target are increasingly monetizing their creator networks and affiliate programs, using first-party data to target shoppers through influencer-driven campaigns. As influencer marketing grows, RMNs are evolving to include more comprehensive partnerships and content repurposing strategies.
• Instagram Testimonials: Instagram is rolling out Partnership testimonials, a new feature within its Partnership Ads that allows brands to highlight creator endorsements as sponsored comments on Partnership posts. These testimonials are limited to 125-character text, giving creators an easy way to support brand deals without creating separate content.
• ‍Separate Reels app: Instagram is reportedly considering launching Reels as a standalone app, following uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future in the US.

Week of February 17, 2025

• Creators hate algorithms: Patreon’s State of Create report reveals creators’ frustration with algorithmic feeds, as 53% say it’s harder to reach followers, while 78% feel “The Algorithm” influences their content. Fans prefer long-form content, but platform instability is pushing creators toward direct-to-consumer platforms like Patreon and Substack.
• Instagram is downranking comments: Instagram is testing a private downvote button for comments on Reels and Feed posts. While downvotes won’t be visible, they may eventually influence comment ranking to promote a more positive experience.
• TikTok restored in app stores: Google Play and Apple have restored TikTok to the US app store after President Trump signed an executive order delaying its ban, giving ByteDance 75 more days to find a new owner.
• Influencer marketing is thriving: The global influencer marketing market has more than tripled since 2020, projected to reach $33 billion by 2025. Instagram remains the top platform, with its influencer market set to surpass $22 billion globally by 2025. TikTok is also gaining traction, with top brands generating over $500 million in earned media value (EMV) in the first half of 2024. ‍
• YouTube Shorts AI: YouTube has integrated Google’s Veo 2 model into its Dream Screen feature, allowing creators to generate video clips for Shorts based on text prompts. The feature, rolling out in select countries, offers faster, more realistic AI-generated videos, with content tagged using SynthID watermarks.

Week of February 10, 2025

• US tariffs’ impact on influencer marketing: US tariffs are causing major disruptions in influencer marketing, with brands like Shein and Halara pausing campaigns, especially those targeting US audiences, due to rising costs and changes in product supply chains. The tariff increases, including a 10% levy on Chinese goods, are putting pressure on influencer marketing budgets and could trigger broader impacts across the creator economy as businesses adapt to the evolving trade landscape.
• Instagram Edits: Instagram’s upcoming Edits app, launching next month, will offer advanced creative tools like AI-generated background editing and video editing features, with new updates likely rolling out here first. This app could become a key resource for creating standout content, especially if CapCut is restricted in the US.
• Influencer investors: Influencers like Sara and Erin Foster, along with Rocky Barnes, are becoming investors in brands like Exponent Beauty, moving beyond short-term partnerships to foster long-term growth and success through shared equity and collaboration.‍
• Instagram alternatives: Alternative social networks like Pixelfed, Flashes, and Pinksky are gaining traction as decentralized, open-source platforms offering Instagram-like experiences. While still small, these apps appeal to users seeking alternatives to Big Tech's platforms, particularly among younger, privacy-conscious audiences.

Week of February 3, 2025

• Super Bowl influencer activations: For Super Bowl 2025, brands like Hellmann's and Uber Eats are shifting from one-off influencer sponsorships to immersive experiences, integrating creators into private events and activations to generate organic buzz. This strategy allows brands to create authentic, engaging content and drive millions of organic views at a fraction of the cost of in-game ads.
• TikTok traffic is back up: Despite a temporary U.S. shutdown and fears of a ban, TikTok has nearly recovered its traffic, now just 10% below pre-shutdown levels. While some creators are diversifying to other platforms, most are skeptical about a full ban, and TikTok's return has diminished the brief rise of competing apps.
• 2025 TikTok Shop strategies: TikTok Shop had a strong 2024 but faced uncertainty in early 2025 after a temporary shutdown, leading to panic among creators and brands. Despite this, sales surged and other platforms like Whatnot and Flip saw growth, highlighting the need for flexibility in adapting to evolving social shopping trends.‍
• LinkedIn’s TikTok-style video feature: LinkedIn's push into TikTok-style short-form video is paying off, with video viewership up 36% in Q1 2025. The platform is expanding features like a vertical video player and swipeable carousels, while also offering nano-learning courses to support creators.

January 2025

Week of January 27, 2025

• Random creator content resonates: A study by Blue Hour Studios shows that 80% of US consumers are willing to buy based on social media content from any creator, regardless of follower count. With interest-driven algorithms shaping engagement, brands are shifting from follower-based influencer selection to prioritizing content relevance and audience interests for better performance.
• TikTok Shop sales spiked amid ban: Despite a temporary shutdown on January 18-19, TikTok Shop sales spiked, reaching $32 million on January 19, fueled by a surge in sales leading up to the outage and consumer loyalty to the platform’s shopping ecosystem. Brands and creators explored alternatives, but TikTok's unique creator-commerce connection remained unmatched.
• Instagram gives creators more Reels insights: Meta is luring TikTok creators with big bonuses and new Instagram Reels metrics like View Rate and Views Over Time to help optimize content. With TikTok still missing from app stores, Instagram is seizing the opportunity to attract creators.
• Super Bowl influencers: The Super Bowl is a prime opportunity for influencers — beyond just sports creators — to engage audiences through authentic, niche content. With influencer marketing spend outpacing digital ad growth, brands and the NFL can maximize impact by offering exclusive access and behind-the-scenes experiences.‍
• Honest product reviews are key: 59% of US shoppers trust honest creator reviews that highlight pros and cons. With most social shoppers following influencers and 90% of marketers investing in creator partnerships via retail media, brands can build trust through transparent content.

Week of January 20, 2025

• TikTok ban extension: Earlier this week, Trump signed an executive order that grants TikTok a 75-day extension but doesn’t overturn the ban, buying time for a potential sale or joint ownership. If banned, rivals like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts stand to gain.
• Meta’s mission to lure TikTok creators: Meta is offering US creators up to $5,000 to switch from TikTok to Instagram and Facebook, requiring them to post original Reels over 90 days. This follows TikTok’s temporary US outage, though top creators have reportedly been offered much larger sums to prioritize Reels.
• Instagram's CapCut rival: Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced Edits, a new video editing app rivaling CapCut, which is set to launch March 13, 2025. Edits will offer advanced creative tools, collaboration features, and in-depth performance insights for Instagram videos.‍
• How to succeed on Instagram: To boost Instagram performance in 2025, focus on watch time, likes, and sends — likes expand reach among followers, while sends help attract new audiences. Prioritize engaging, shareable content to maximize visibility.

Week of January 13, 2025

• Looming TikTok ban: TikTok plans to shut down its US operations on Sunday (1/19) due to a federal ban, unless President-elect Trump intervenes, with the US Supreme Court set to decide on the ban’s legality. The shutdown could disrupt services for millions of global users, and TikTok is preparing a message and data download option for affected users.
• TikTok “refugees” on RedNote: As the TikTok ban looms in the US, many American users are turning to the Chinese app Xiaohongshu, also known as "Red Note," to rebuild communities and avoid Western platforms — despite language barriers.
• Potential TikTok sell off to Elon Musk: Chinese officials are reportedly considering Elon Musk taking control of TikTok's US operations to prevent its ban if the Supreme Court upholds a forced sell-off order. While TikTok and Musk haven't commented, Beijing views Musk as a potential intermediary to keep the app in the US market.
• Experts’ influencer marketing predictions: Industry insiders told AdAge that influencer marketing will expand beyond social media to include mediums like connected TV and podcasts as creators seek more control and security, while brands embrace dark social and AI tools. Social commerce will continue to soar, with livestream shopping becoming a key trend for more immersive consumer experiences.
• Pixelfed gains traction: Pixelfed, a decentralized alternative to Instagram, has launched official mobile apps for Android and iOS, quickly gaining popularity in the world of federated social apps. The platform is ad-free, open-source, and offers chronological feeds, attracting users who seek to distance themselves from Meta's platforms.
• Fabletics’ plan to become a $1 billion brand: Fabletics is expanding in 2025 through wholesale, international markets, and new stores, with influencer marketing driving growth via celebrity partnerships and UGC influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The brand also leverages a flexible membership model and FOMO marketing tactics to boost conversions and customer retention.‍
• Influencer fragrance brands: Influencers like Danielle Bernstein and Funmi Monet are launching fragrance brands, capitalizing on their direct connection with fans, but long-term success relies on product quality and full commitment to the business. Despite the challenges of overcoming skepticism, influencer-backed perfumes are gaining traction alongside celebrity scents.

Week of January 6, 2025

• TikTok creators are altering their contracts: With a potential US TikTok ban looming, creators and agencies are revising contracts to reduce platform-specific risks, focusing on deliverables and alternative posting strategies if TikTok becomes inaccessible. This shift highlights a broader move toward platform-agnostic content to safeguard partnerships amid social media uncertainties.
• New YouTube Shorts tool: YouTube is testing a tool that automatically creates Shorts by clipping engaging segments from long-form videos, making it easier for creators to add Shorts without extra work. Currently available to a small group of English-speaking creators, it could boost engagement by simplifying content creation.
• 2025 influencer marketing predictions: 2025 will see influencer marketing evolve with a potential TikTok ban driving multichannel strategies, LinkedIn emerging as a key platform, and the pharmaceutical industry embracing influencers for greater trust. As budgets grow, brands will focus on advanced metrics and real-time measurement to prove ROI, ensuring the industry's continued growth.
• 2025 creator economy trends: The creator economy is evolving in 2025, with AI reshaping content creation, creators becoming media companies, and long-form content like podcasts gaining popularity. As TikTok faces uncertainty, creators are diversifying across platforms while continuing to play a central role in brand strategy and social commerce.‍
• Pinterest’s quest for internet optimism: Pinterest has maintained a positive and inclusive environment, with over half of users viewing it as more uplifting than other platforms, a strategy that appeals to both users and advertisers. CEO Bill Ready emphasizes focusing on "time spent well" rather than maximizing engagement through negativity, positioning Pinterest as a refreshing alternative to more divisive social networks.

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