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TL;DR

In a hurry? Here's our pick of the top news items of the week.

  • TikTok's updated Search Ads now allow advertisers to target specific keywords, enhancing ad placement control and potentially increasing conversions. (Social Media Today)

  • Warner Bros. Discovery's Max streaming service will launch in Asia-Pacific, including Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan in late this year and in Australia by mid-2025. (Variety)

  • Disney+ is enforcing stricter measures against password sharing by requiring subscribers to ensure that only household members use the service or pay extra fees to add members. (TechRadar)

Audiences

  • While US Gen Zers and Millennials are increasingly tolerant of online ads, their openness to advertising doesn't necessarily translate to higher brand trust. (Marketing Dive)

  • Snapchat is the leading platform for creator-driven shopping, especially among US Gen Z consumers, with 85.6% of social shoppers influenced by creator content. (Emarketer)

  • Gen Z is set to become the largest and wealthiest generation in history, with their spending expected to grow to $12T by 2030. (Campaign Brief)

  • The majority of marketers worldwide primarily use YouTube to drive brand awareness rather than conversions, demonstrating its effectiveness in top-of-funnel marketing strategies. (Emarketer)

Platforms

  • Meta has introduced updated advertising options for the holiday season, including promo features and reminder ads, aiming to boost end-of-year sales engagement. (Search Engine Land)

  • Instagram has introduced a "signature sound" for Reels to establish a distinctive sonic identity for the app, aiming to make this sound iconic and recognisable. (Social Media Today)

  • X has released its first transparency report since 2021, revealing how it handles policy enforcement on illegal, hateful, or fraudulent content. (DigiDay)

  • ByteDance will shut down its music streaming service, TikTok Music, effective November 28th to focus on enhancing music discovery and streaming through partnerships rather than competition. (TechCrunch)

Content

  • Virtual influencers are gaining traction among brands, offering cost-effective, customisable alternatives to human influencers despite their limitations, which is increasing use by major brands like Dior and BMW. (Marketing Dive)

  • Streaming bundles will significantly increase, rising from 365M SVoD subscriptions bundled through operator TV, broadband and mobile bundles in 2024, to 540M by 2029, making up 25% of the global market. (Advanced Television)

  • ITV Studios has announced a series of new content distribution deals across the Americas, exemplifying ITV's growing impact in the US and Latin American markets. (Advanced Television)

Tech & AI

  • Reddit will enhance its ads business with AI-driven tools and global partnerships and is introducing automated translation tools to expand its international user base. (MediaPost)

  • Mark Zuckerberg believes AR glasses will eventually replace smartphones as the primary computing platform, stating that Meta's developments in AR technology are leading towards a future where digital experiences are seamlessly integrated with physical reality. (The Verge)

  • OpenAI faces a lawsuit that could set legal precedents for the AI industry on the use of copyrighted materials in training AI models, raising significant implications for data sourcing practices in AI development. (Emarketer)

  • Snapchat is partnering with Google to integrate the Gemini AI system into its platform, enhancing the AI capabilities of its "My AI" chatbot, previously powered by OpenAI's GPT models. (AllAboutAI)

  • Meta's "Responsible Business Practices Report" details its advancements in AI, metaverse initiatives, environmental actions, and social impacts, focusing on broadening AI access and developing immersive technologies to enhance global connectivity and economic opportunities. (Social Media Today)

Location-based entertainment

  • The eight largest movie theater chains in the United States and Canada announced last week plans to invest more than $2.2B to upgrade entertainment experiences at the facilities. (USA Today)

  • In the UK, gambling ads have shifted focus toward player safety, promoting responsible gambling with slogans and campaigns to reflect a broader evolution to informed and safe gambling practices. (Advanced Television)

  • Golf Lounge 18 is expanding to Stamford, Connecticut with a new venue that features state-of-the-art golf simulators and dining options, marking its 9th location in the Northeast and enhancing its innovative golf entertainment offerings. (Fox40)

Travel & hospitality

  • New South Wales has led Australia's tourism recovery with a record-setting $53B in visitor spending, surpassing pre-pandemic figures and attracting 3.7M international visitors. (KarryOn)

  • Royal Caribbean's nine-month Ultimate World Cruise became a social media sensation, captivating audiences with its unique dynamics among passengers who shared their diverse experiences via TikTok. (CNN)

  • Google and Sabre showcased AI-driven travel innovations, highlighting new AI tools to personalize and optimize travel experiences, demonstrating AI's significant impact on improving travel industry efficiency and revenue. (Web in Travel)

  • About half (47%) of families value family bonding as the top benefit of intergenerational trips, along with reconnection (39%) and diverse activities for all age groups (34%). (Booking.com)

Gaming

  • Fourteen months after its launch, "Pokémon Sleep" has generated $120M in revenue, with Japan accounting for $88.4M or 74% of this total. (GamesIndustry.biz)

  • Following the global success of "Black Myth: Wukong," which sold 10M copies in three days, the Chinese government is embracing video games. (Rest of World)

  • "Ghost of Yōtei," the sequel to the 2020 video game "Ghost of Tsushima," is set to launch in 2025, featuring a new protagonist and storyline set in the early 1600s Japan. (Variety)

  • Gaxos has launched a new AI-powered development suite named Gaxos Labs, designed to hasten asset creation and integrate user-generated content within safe boundaries. (PocketGamer)

  • The horror-themed drag duo The Boulet Brothers announced a collaboration with the video game "Dead by Daylight." (The Pink News)

  • Tokyo Game Show 2024 is in full swing, and Microsoft has wrapped up its Xbox Broadcast showcase, revealing new trailers and information for games. (IGN)
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