Small business owners concerned as TikTok ban looms
The popular social media app TikTok could be banned in the U.S. in a matter of days and the looming threat has some small business owners concerned. Since the app launched in 2017, small business owners say they have used TikTok in several ways, from advertising and marketing to selling goods directly.
TikTok estimates the ban would cost the company more than $1 billion in revenue in a single month.
If the ban does take effect, small businesses could still turn to alternatives like Instagram Reels, Snapchat and YouTube Shorts. However, owners raised concerns that it may be harder to reach teens since TikTok tends to be their preferred social media app.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over whether the ban violates the First Amendment on Jan. 10.
President-elect Donald Trump, who is not set to take office until Jan. 20, the day after the ban is scheduled to take effect, asked the Supreme Court to consider a delay on the ban taking effect.
How social media personalities are shaping the future of marketing
Forget traditional TV ads — marketing is evolving, with social media personalities driving the change. Social streaming platforms and influencers like Kai Cenat are reshaping how brands connect with consumers.
From record-breaking Twitch marathons to influencer-led campaigns, brands are finding success by tapping into authentic digital communities.
Kai Cenat’s groundbreaking Twitch “subathon“
Cenat, a 22-year-old content creator known for comedic and over-the-top livestreams, recently hosted a monthlong Twitch “subathon.”
For 24 hours a day, viewers could watch Cenat do everything from eating and sleeping to engaging with fans and special guests.
Some of his guests included Kevin Hart, Kyrie Irving and Bill Nye the Science Guy. The goal was to entertain his loyal followers while breaking Twitch’s record for the most subscribers. Cenat smashed the previous record of 326,250, ending his subathon with 727,700 subscribers and over 50 million unique viewers.
The financial impact of social streaming
Cenat’s financial gains were massive. At $4.99 per subscription, he potentially earned up to $3.6 million.
The exact amount is unclear since Twitch takes a percentage but the earnings didn’t stop there. Ads and brand deals with companies like Nike and McDonald’s add to the haul.
Social media marketing vs. traditional TV ads
According to a Statista study, 41% of consumers purchased products after seeing social media ads, compared to 43% influenced by TV commercials. Among Gen Z and millennials, social media dominates. About 62% of Gen Zers and 53% of millennials reported being influenced by online ads.
Jason McDonald, the director of JM Internet Group, told Straight Arrow News that the marketing industry has changed a lot in the last few years.
“Marketing has become a much more technical profession than it used to be, and that creates a lot of opportunities for young people,” McDonald said.
The McDonald’s restaurant’s senior marketing director highlighted how the company collaborated with Cenat, saying in a post, “because he’s one of the most influential talents in the world… and an absolute fan of the Big Mac.”
Timeless keys to marketing success
While marketing trends constantly evolve, some foundations remain essential. McDonald says there are two keys skills people need to be good at in order to be successful at marketing.
“Being a good storyteller is incredibly important… And at a technical level, getting skillful at producing video,” McDonald said.
As social media continues to grow, storytelling and video production are the cornerstones of impactful marketing strategies.
‘Woke’ Christmas ad? Google responds to criticism over nonbinary influencer
Google is responding to criticism over a new holiday shopping advertisement. The ad features Cyrus Veyssi, a nonbinary beauty influencer, promoting Google Shopping ahead of the holidays.
While Google describes this ad as part of a broader advertising campaign, it is the choice of Veyssi as the featured influencer that sparked pushback from some conservatives and garnered significant media attention.
News outlets rated as having a right-leaning political bias have been primarily covering the story. Left-leaning news outlets have largely omitted the story from their coverage.
Fox News: “Google accused of ‘woke’ new Christmas ad with ‘nonbinary’ beauty influencer.”
Washington Examiner: “Google criticized for ‘woke’ Christmas ad with ‘nonbinary’ influencer.”
Daily Wire: “Google Trashed For Holiday Shopping Ad Featuring Man Dressed Like A Woman.”
When a news story is reported predominantly by one side of the media spectrum, it may be seen as a form of bias, either through story omission or oversaturation.
Straight Arrow News often refers to this type of coverage as a Media Miss, which indicates this story is underreported or ignored by one side of the political divide.
As the story gained traction among right-leaning outlets, Google issued a response to the controversy.
In a statement to Fox News, the company said, “Everyone likes to find a good deal and save money. That’s why we’re promoting Google Shopping as the best way to do that. To put it in perspective, this was a single sponsored Instagram post, representing a fraction of a percent of a much wider Google Shopping campaign.”
Right-leaning outlets have included Google’s response in their coverage, such as the Washington Examiner. The publication also noted some users on X have called for boycotting Google and switching to alternative search engine DuckDuckGo.
Other outlets, like Fox News, have compared the controversy to similar reactions to other recent advertisements. Fox News cited the backlash faced by luxury auto brand Jaguar last month for its rebranding campaign that featured androgynous models.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
President-elect Donald Trump said Mexico has agreed to stem the tide of migrants flowing into the United States, but Mexico’s president is now saying that’s not quite accurate. And Amazon workers are using Black Friday to make a statement about their labor situation. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
As President-elect Donald Trump gets ready to return to office, he’s already making moves to follow through on some of his biggest campaign promises. After announcing this week his plans to impose tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico, he turned his attention to another hot-button issue: immigration.
It’s a bit of a case of “he said, she said” after Trump had a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, Nov. 27. President-elect Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after the call saying Sheinbaum agreed to stop migration into the U.S. through Mexico, “effectively closing our southern border.”
Sheinbaum appeared to contradict Trump in a post of her own on X, saying in part, “Mexico’s position is not to close borders…”
She did, however, lay out Mexico’s “comprehensive strategy” for addressing the migration issue. In a separate post on X, Sheinbaum said during the call, she told President-elect Trump, “No caravans are arriving at the border because they are being attended to in Mexico.”
En nuestra conversación con el presidente Trump, le expuse la estrategia integral que ha seguido México para atender el fenómeno migratorio, respetando los derechos humanos. Gracias a ello se atiende a las personas migrantes y a las caravanas previo a que lleguen a la frontera.…
The two leaders also talked about how they’re addressing the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
The call was scheduled after Trump unveiled plans to slap 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico to the U.S. as part of the effort to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. through Mexico.
Not only would that impact the prices of avocados and agave — both very popular in the U.S. — Mexico’s economy secretary said Wednesday 88% of all North American pickup trucks come from Mexico. Sheinbaum then suggested Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own.
“I hope he rethinks it,” Biden said. “I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do. You know, one of the things you’ve heard me say before is that we are – we have an unusual situation in America. We’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships.”
Economists forecast Trump’s planned tariffs would increase prices for American shoppers, costing the average U.S. household about $2,600 per year, according to an estimate from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Israel and Hezbollah both claim ceasefire violations
Barely three days into a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, both sides are claiming violations.
Yesterday, Hezbollah had a precision-guided missile manufacturing site—today, they don’t.
Hezbollah’s largest precision-guided missiles manufacturing site, 1.4km wide and 70m underground, was struck and dismantled by IAF fighter jets yesterday.
Lebanese authorities also said two people, who were trying to return to southern Lebanon, were shot and wounded by Israeli forces. Lebanon’s health ministry said they were civilians, but the IDF claimed they were suspected of violating terms of the truce.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, includes an initial two-month ceasefire during which Hezbollah militants will withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border.
Thousands of Amazon workers to strike from Black Friday to Cyber Monday
Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the U.S., are on strike on some of the busiest pre-Christmas shopping days across the world. It started on Black Friday, Nov. 29, a day for bargain hunters to score some of the biggest discounts from stores across the country as holiday shopping kicks into high gear.
Organizers told the United Nations the so-called “days of resistance” are to hold Amazon accountable for alleged labor abuses, as well as “environmental degradation and threats to democracy.” According to ABC News, the strike could delay holiday deliveries.
The organizers said this is their fifth year of labor action against Amazon during the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
In a statement, Amazon said the group that organized the strikes is being “intentionally misleading” and promoting a “false narrative.” Management said the company offers great pay and benefits.
Canada sues Google over control of online ads
Canada’s antitrust watchdog said it is suing Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in the company’s online advertising business. They’re calling for Google to sell off two of its ad tech services and pay a penalty.
The Competition Bureau said it’s necessary because an investigation into Google found the company “unlawfully” tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its dominant market position. Google insists the online advertising market is a highly competitive sector and is fighting the allegations.
This comes just a week after the U.S. Department of Justice asked a federal judge to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser, saying it continues to crush the competition through its dominant search engine.
America facing a live Christmas tree shortage again
As millions of Americans get ready to begin their search for the perfect Christmas tree, growers are having historic challenges getting them to sale lots, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The day after Thanksgiving is usually the biggest day for live tree sales, but since Thanksgiving came so late this year, it’s a very short selling season. On top of that, a nationwide shortage is expected thanks to severe weather across the country this year, such as a northeastern drought and North Carolina floods caused by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina is the second-biggest supplier of Christmas trees in the country.
Shoppers bought roughly 21.6 million real Christmas trees in the U.S. last year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. The Department of Agriculture said the number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30% since 2002, while the American population has grown 16% over the same period.
Alaska native air drops Thanksgiving turkeys to families in remote areas
In the most remote parts of Alaska a Thanksgiving turkey is hard to come by. So, one woman made sure families in roadless parts of the state had their holiday feast.
Pilot Esther Keim calls it “Alaska Turkey Bomb.” She flies in a small plane to off-the-grid homes and air drops frozen turkeys for families to enjoy for Thanksgiving.
Keim said it’s a tribute to a family friend who did the same thing for her family when she was growing up.
She started the tradition in 2022 after somebody that she knew told her they did not have much of a holiday dinner — and no turkey at all. Since then, she has delivered 30 to 40 turkeys every year to families living in remote areas of Alaska.
Coca-Cola’s AI-generated ad draws criticism for not using human artists
Is artificial intelligence the future of marketing? Coca-Cola is the latest company to release an AI-generated ad and now the company is getting some backlash for it online.
The Christmas-themed promotion called “The Holiday Magic is Coming” was meant to pay homage to a 1995 commercial from the brand featuring similar visuals, but with human actors and real trucks.
The new video is drawing criticism from creatives who argue that it’s in bad taste for the company to use AI instead of working with real graphic artists.
“Coca-Cola using AI for an ad is genuinely so terrifying to me,” one person on X commented. “Art is dying. Actors, replaced. Camera workers, replaced. Drivers, replaced. Designers, replaced. Soulless. This is affecting everyone now. Whether you want to accept that or not. It’s going too far.”
Coca Cola using ai for an ad is genuinely so terrifying to me. Art is dying.
Actors, replaced. Camera workers, replaced. Drivers, replaced. Designers, replaced. Soulless.
This is affecting EVERYONE now. Whether you want to accept that or not. Its going too far pic.twitter.com/0ANfrSqZU6
Coca-Cola’s President and CFO John Murphy responded in a statement.
“We are always exploring new ways to connect with consumers and experiment with different approaches,” Murphy said. “This year, we crafted films through a collaboration of human storytellers and the power of generative. Coca-Cola will always remain dedicated to creating the highest level of work at the intersection of human creativity and technology.”
Last year, the company launched its new platform “Create Real Magic” that lets creatives use AI to make original artwork using assets from the coca-cola archives.
Nike is another major company attempting to capitalize on AI.
Last year, its “Never Done Evolving” campaign paid tribute to Serena Williams after her retirement by creating an AI-generated matchup between Serena in 1999 and Serena in 2017.
As for Coca-Cola, the company said it’s just starting to explore how AI can make an impact. Officials said they’re looking at ways to use it for better work flow, customer service and material creation.
President Trump has been elected, so when do the political ads end?
Political ads have been everywhere this election cycle and now that the election results are wrapping up, many may be wondering, ‘When will the political messages stop?’ Well, it depends on the platform.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it would expand its block on new election ads that started on Tuesday, Oct. 29, to a few days after the final polls closed on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Meta’s policy restricts “new social issues, electoral, and political ads” from being displayed during the final week of the U.S. general election in an effort to fight voter disinformation. The extension of the block is because of votes still being counted.
However, for those watching television or listening to radio, they may not be able to escape the political ads.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has no rules on when political advertising has to stop airing, meaning an individual could be hearing or seeing issue or campaign ads for a while.
Officials say campaign ads usually fall off post-election but advertisements focusing on issues typically continue throughout the year.
The only things the FCC has control over when it comes to political ads are rules governing fairness for political ads and candidates, not how often or how long an ad can run for.
Trump, Harris spend more than $530M in Pa., the biggest battleground state
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are in a battle to win the swing states. In Pennsylvania, the largest battleground state, Trump and Harris spent more than $530 million in advertising dollars.
Political experts say the economy and immigration are typically the top issues for undecided voters, with a large majority generally leaning toward Republicans on both.
But, the gap between parties narrowed recently on jobs and the economy.
The total ad spending for Harris in her four-month presidential run was $1.26 billion, exceeding Trump’s spending of $933 million.
Harris campaign cancels ad buy in NC in final week before election
In a big development in a key swing state, the advertisement tracking company AdImpact is reporting that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign canceled $2.7 million in ad buys in North Carolina. The surprising move comes in the final week of the presidential campaign.
North Carolina is considered by most political experts to be one of seven battleground states, with 16 electoral votes. Former President Donald Trump won the state in 2020 and 2016. However, Kamala Harris has made multiple campaign appearances in the state in hopes of flipping it.
Trump is slated to make a campaign stop in North Carolina on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The Carolina Journal reports the race for North Carolina is still in a dead heat with the candidates tied at 47% each. However, the Journal also says Trump leads Harris from Charlotte to western North Carolina by 12 points and leads Harris by 9 points in the coastal area.
The same poll shows Harris is ahead in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area by 15 points. Harris is slated to make a campaign appearance in Raleigh on Wednesday.
Harris, Trump campaigns and allies spent half-a-billion dollars in just over 2 weeks
Turn on the television for any length of time and the political ads are constant, especially in the race for president. In the days leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5, expect the onslaught to continue as the candidates and the surrogates spend a whopping amount of money.
According to financial disclosures filed this week, The Trump and Harris campaigns spent more than half-a-billion dollars in the first half of October 2024. The campaigns themselves doled $265 million, while their super PACs kicked in another $260 million.
During that same time period in October, The New York Times found that the Harris campaign raised about $183 million. The Trump campaign pulled in $92 million. Most of the money is being spent on advertising as quickly as it is coming in.
Their surrogates are also spending lots of money on the race. The Democrats’ largest super PAC, Future Forward, spent $82 million on ad buys during the week of Oct. 21 alone. The Harris campaign is getting a financial boost from Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz. He has contributed $38 million.
Donald Trump meanwhile is getting financial help from the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. He spent $57 million on Republicans in the first half of October and contributed $119 million overall.
Musk is also contributing money to Senate Republicans in an effort to flip the Senate to the GOP in the election.
Harris surpasses Trump with $1.6 billion campaign fundraising high
Vice President Kamala Harris surpassed former President Donald Trump in fundraising with $1.6 billion. That’s compared to over $700 million for Trump over the course of his presidential campaign.
Harris raised $928 million for her official campaign, $364 million for the Democratic National Committee and another $307 million for a joint fundraising committee.
Harris pulled in $222 million in September alone. Trump raised $63 million. Those numbers are both down compared to 2020 when Biden raised $281 million and Trump raised $81 million.
As far as spending goes, Harris continued to outspend Trump on advertising. About $222 million of the $270 million that Harris’ campaign spent in September was on media buys and production costs. Trump spent about $53 million on media costs out of the $78 million his campaign spent in September.
The public will get an even better financial picture of both campaigns when they submit their earnings for the first half of October on Thursday, Oct. 24.