Check out the latest posts from AGM Leaders

Help me, AlliedGPT

• We’re excited to introduce a new feature within AlliedGPT: Multiple File Uploads. This enhancement is primarily available in the Ask a Doc prompt, but you can also take advantage of it across other Allied Assistants that support file uploads.

• Easily get an understanding of how campaign performance stacks up to industry averages by asking our Benchmark Assistant what the benchmark is for a particular metric in that industry.

• Use AGPT to get an overview of the best digital tactics to use when marketing to a specific audience by going into Ask Anything, defining the audience and asking for those tactics.

TL;DR

• Apple is going to allow third-party app stores on the iPad in the EU starting this week. (Tech Crunch)

• OpenAI is releasing a new model called o1, the first in a planned series of “reasoning” models that have been trained to answer more complex questions. (The Verge)

• The entire staff of Annapurna Interactive, the gaming division of Megan Ellison’s Annapurna, has resigned after failing to convince Ellison to let them spin off its games division into a new company. (The Verge)

• Social media's role in travel is moving beyond inspiration - 34% of US travelers feel very comfortable booking directly through social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, particularly younger travelers. (Skift)

Agency updates

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  Our Field Marketing Team supported the release of Warner Bros. Pictures "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" in cities nationwide. The team introduced the Bobs via costume and photo op tours, including the launch of a viral video aboard the New York City Ferry. There were advance screenings for superfans and creators, complete with experiential cocktail parties to maximize content. The team also delivered sweet treats of the afterlife on-air with TV and radio in 21 markets. The film opened to $110M at the US box office.

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  Our Philadelphia Field Marketing Team supported the NYT Best-Seller "What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service" with a publicity tour with co-author and Philly native Melissa Fitzgerald with only 48 hours notice. Interviews were accomplished with the local NBC affiliate, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer, WMMR-FM (ROCK) and BEN-FM (AC.)

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  Some members of our Chicago team attended an annual event for the creative community at the historic Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. Hosted by Le Book, the team met with global production artists, photographers, directors, art buyers, illustrators, and 3D artists. Zack McDowell from Creative was a juror and judged several portfolios for the "Emerging Artist" award. The team also heard from panel speakers who are leaders in the field of creative direction and AI, such as Chuck Anderson of No Pattern, Kristyna Archer of Archer Studio, and AI artist Liz Miller-Gershfeld.

Interesting campaigns / creative

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  A massive plug is transported on the back of a truck across the UK in a new ad to raise awareness about The Great Grid Upgrade. (The Drum)

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  Life cereal brought back Mikey to capitalize on the trend of nostalgic marketing. (Marketing Dive)

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  Pepsi launched a new star-studded NFL campaign inspired by "Gladiator II." (Marketing Dive)

Audiences

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  With the U.S. TikTok sell-off bill looming, half of Americans don’t actually believe TikTok will be banned in the country. (Social Media Today)

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  US consumers are spending more on experiences such as entertainment, adventure travel, and personalized excursions. (Skift)

• Almost two-thirds of US streaming consumers have been to the movies two or more times in the past six months. (Variety)

Platforms

• With DM usage on the rise, Instagram is adding some new DM engagement features, including drawing tools and stickers. (Social Media Today)

• Snapchat now serves 1.5M users in New Zealand every month, around 30% of their total population. (Social Media Today)

• The Australian federal government has promised legislation to impose a minimum age to use social media platforms by the end of this year. (ABC)

Content

• Both of Australia's major winter sports competitions, the NRL and AFL, have recorded their most watched seasons ever across Foxtel's platforms. (Mumbrella)

• The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards scored its biggest audience in four years, averaging 4.09M viewers across MTV, 11 other Paramount-owned cable channels and UniMas. (THR)

• The NFL set a Week 1 viewership record with 21M average viewers on television and digital platforms. (USA Today)

• In part thanks to Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever have topped 1M viewers in 19 of 36 games. (Athlon Sports)

Tech & AI

• Meta is making its AI info label less visible on content edited or modified by AI tools. (Tech Crunch)

• Google’s NotebookLM app can now generate audio discussions with two AI hosts about the documents you’ve given it. (The Verge)

• Samsung, Qualcomm and Google are developing a pair of mixed reality smart glasses that link to the wearer’s smartphone. (The Verge)

Location-based entertainment

• TikTok is the Official Platform Partner for the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, which will see the app incorporate a range of themed activations and promotions to help users celebrate the event. (Social Media Today)

• The Location Based Entertainment market is projected to reach $11.8B by 2028, with demand for advanced technologies like AR and VR expected to drive the growth. (Yahoo)

• New York City residents accounted for just 6% of the 9/11 Museum's visitors over the last year, while tristate area residents made up 20%. (Gothamist)

• AGM client Dollywood has won five world’s best awards at Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards and won a sixth award giving it “legend” status. (Interpark)

Travel & hospitality

• Radisson launched Radisson Flights, a service letting guests book flights and hotels together, streamlining the travel planning process. (HospitalityNet)

• Greece is cracking down on tourism by tightening regulations on short-term vacation rentals and cruise ship traffic. (FT)

• United Airlines is adding free Starlink Wi-Fi to all of its planes starting in 2025. (The Verge)

• Experiential hospitality is on the rise as brands use storytelling and immersive environments to create unique guest experiences that foster deeper brand connections and enhance market differentiation. (Premier)

• A remote Australian town has become a magnet for Malaysian tourists after a popular Malaysian YouTuber filmed a video there that has amassed 1M views. (Travel Weekly)

Gaming

• Netflix Games surpassed 210M lifetime downloads, and Grand Theft Auto games alone accounts for 36.6M. (Games Industry)

• Roblox is on a mission towards 1B daily active users and capturing "10% of all gaming revenue." (Pocket Gamer)

• Apple confirmed all its new iPhone 16s play AAA games and there is no iPhone Pro required. (Eurogamer)

• Karol G's five-part interactive concert on Fortnite was the last stop after her Mañana Será Bonito Tour. (Variety)

Mental health

• This 12-question quiz can help assess whether you have healthy brain habits.

• Here's an interesting read about how the workplace can help curb the loneliness epidemic