🫖 Canopy wants you to spill the tea (but first, you’ll have to get in line)
Can vulnerability exist without anonymity? Plus, your customers are tired and Disney knows just what to do.
Disclaimer: We acknowledge that it can feel trivial to talk about signals, social media and marketing right now while horrific tragedies are taking place in Israel and Gaza. If now isn’t the right time for you to hang out with us, we understand. For those who could use an escape, we’ve pulled together our top signals and what they could mean for the future of digital marketing.
Welcome back, Scanner!
Hello!! Did you miss us? We took a little hiatus and couldn’t be more excited to be back. The bonus of our little break? So much has been happening, we’re flush with signals.
While we’ve been gone, how many of you have started following the NFL (Taylor’s version)? Maybe you’ve been busy getting back into the office groove? Or, you may have been saving up for your new magic dress? Wherever life has taken you, it’s time to put on your scanning cap and dissect these signals.
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Let’s get into it.
🎯 SPECIFIC
A Former TikTok Employee is Building a New App Where the Tea is Always Hot
What’s changing?
Canopy is a new, anonymous, peer-to-peer social media networking app designed for content creators (🙋♀️). It primarily targets beauty, fashion and lifestyle creators because those niches are known to have high earning and spending potential. Samaraweera, the app’s founder, says these creators are most likely to take monetization seriously, making them a perfect fit for community, advice, mentorship and accountability. The kicker? Everyone on Canopy is anonymous, so the tea is guaranteed to be hot. The waitlist to join is up now.
Why does it matter?
There’s a few things we find really interesting about Canopy’s launch plan. First, the anonymity angle. So many online communities descend into being a like-for-like, self-promo stream of posts. Will an anonymous space allow creators to let their guards down and get real with each other? Are we even capable of being vulnerable when it’s tied to our handles? Second, Canopy has launched with a clear path to monetization. They aren’t pretending this platform is about being social. They’ve outlined their plans for subscription services, webinars, in-person events and more. Is this the end of pretending social media isn’t a huge money maker?
What could happen next?
With how much transparency Canopy is providing about monetizing the app – will social media ever just be social again? For years social media users have asked for the sacred social element of early apps to come back; is it even possible? When it comes to the tea spilling, do we really need a whole new app to do that? What is it about how creators show up online that prevents true vulnerability and community building? Community has been a hot topic this year, and we’ve been trying to figure it out like many of you are. Will community ever be possible in a world where our personal brands hold so much value? Let us know what you think in the comment below.
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯 / 5
📅 CURRENT
Your Customers? They’re Tired
What’s changing?
In “trends we hate to see,” more people are searching “I am tired” than at any other point in Google’s history. The search term has been climbing steadily since 2004, but in August it hit an all-time high. Is this just sleepy-fall vibes, or a signal for something larger?
Why does it matter?
There’s a few reasons why people may be feeling more worn out than usual. When the season’s change, it’s normal to feel a bit sapped of energy. On top of that, being online is really hard right now. Gallup published their Global Emotions Report and it found that people are having a hard time coping with the sad, stressful state of the world. Negative emotions have been at a global high since 2021. The good news? When compared to 2021, 2022 did see an uptick in enjoyment, smiles and laughter. So it’s not all bad, but it’s certainly not great. Our job as marketers is to help people feel seen in the brands we promote, how do we do that without seeming totally unaware of how people are feeling?
What could happen next?
People want to feel seen. They want to feel like their experiences are understood. As marketers, that’s what we do best. Knowing how many people out there are feeling blah, is our product, brand or offering resonating? Maybe it comes from making copy a little more scannable, maybe we post some content that uplifts (think how quickly girl math took off) or maybe we get real and meet them in their struggle. Whatever the case, as you’re setting up your 2024 strategies, remember the people behind the numbers. How do they feel? What do they need from you? As for yourself, since marketers are people too, don’t forget to get some rest. Creativity comes from boredom, not overwhelm.
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
Disney Is Bringing Magic to TikTok
What’s changing?
Recently, The Walt Disney Company celebrated their 100th anniversary. To celebrate, they’ve created a unique, interactive experience on TikTok where fans can watch videos from Disney’s brands, create their own videos using Disney music and effects, play Disney-themed trivia, and collect and trade “Character Cards” of their favorites. It’s a first-of-its-kind experience on TikTok that was chosen based on TikTok being a go-to destination for Disney fans. Disney is framing the experience as a “partnership” with their fans in their anniversary celebration.
Why does it matter?
It’s fascinating to see a major player creating a new level of content outside of their own apps and platforms. Disney is going where their followers, fans and consumers are, instead of trying to use this milestone to pull them into their own platforms. It makes sense, TikTok has received 240 billion views across Disney’s portfolio of brands. Choosing to give Disney-fans on TikTok a unique experience they can’t get anywhere else is a perfect example of meeting your people where they are and making brand loyalty an easy choice.
What could happen next?
For weeks we’ve been talking about building community. This signal hits perfectly on some of the points we even covered in our signal above. If your audience is tired and they’re already deeply invested in an app, outside of your own, make it easy on them and go where they are. Could this be a roadmap for future successful brand collaborations with TikTok? An example on how to properly celebrate during hard times? Maybe even a cheat code on how to connect with your audience? When Disney makes a move like this, we’re definitely watching.
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲/ 5
🌊 WAVES SEASON 7
WAVES Season 7 has officially launched!
Catch a new episode every Wednesday.
This season, Mike and Mitzi explore topics, including: ecommerce email marketing, how to show up on video-based platforms (without feeling the cringe), what it takes to be a top performer at a marketing agency, what Gen Z wants from advertisers, creative direction in 2023/2024 and more. Learn from top marketers and creators, including Jimmy Kim, Natasha Pierre and Valentin Ozich.
You can find the show on all podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with full video versions and short clips on our YouTube channel!