Monday’s First Things First – Adweek
Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here.
The 15 Most Innovative and Relevant Ad-Tech and Mar-Tech Companies, According to You
In this week’s edition of Adweek magazine, we asked our readers to tell us who are the best players in the ad-tech and mar-tech space so that when you are facing a critical business decision, you have a list of companies recommended by your peers. We asked for your input on a range of services from best CDP and journey management in mar tech to best video conference platform (any guesses who could have possibly won this category?) and AI virtual assistant.
Elsewhere in this edition of Adweek magazine:
NexTech Kicks Off Today
For four days this week, the brightest minds in ad tech and marketing tech will take the virtual stage beginning at 1 p.m. ET to give candid insights on today’s most important topics. Today’s speakers include Jennifer Gardner, senior director media, North America, Unilever; Domitille Doat, chief digital officer, Danone; Allison Murphy, svp, ad innovation, The New York Times Company; and many more. You can register for the event here.
Ahead of the event, our reporters and editors spoke with some of the speakers to preview their keynotes.
Creating an Ad Jingle Is a Different Process When It’s for TikTok
TikTok has quickly gone from the platform only Gen Z is on to the platform everyone is on—and that includes brands. As you spend more time on the app, you’ll quickly realize brands have subtle presences in the form of jingles. Most famously, e.l.f. Cosmetics brought the world Eyes.Lips.Face, which became the fastest campaign to reach a billion views. It spurred 5 million user-generated videos, with celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Lizzo and Reese Witherspoon joining the fray organically.
How did the brand do it? Movers+Shakers, the agency behind the jingle, spills its secrets.
- Related: Speaking of TikTok, NPR podcast Planet Money has an absolutely bizarre, chaotic presence on the platform. We spoke with the masterminds behind the account about their off-the-wall tactics—think using chicken nuggets to explain negative marginal benefit—to reach new listeners.
Can Google Win Back the Market Share It Lost to Amazon?
Amazon has been gaining on Google and Facebook in the digital advertising landscape, turning the duopoly into a triopoly. Now, Google is looking to make its own gains on Amazon with a revamped Google Shopping experience. The search giant is taking advantage of the fact that Amazon’s commissions drive away big brands. Plus, Google is hoping its platform integrations are easy enough that sellers are willing to try it as an alternative channel.
Keep reading: This analysis from Amazon expert and senior writer Lisa Lacy explains the pros and cons of Google Shopping.