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Yes, we may be spending more and more hours on TikTok, but don’t forget about Instagram either. The social app remains one of the most used social media sites, with 55.8% of projected social networking use in the United States. With 80% of Instagram users following at least one business account, the app has become an important SEO player.
The beauty of Instagram is that it’s highly visual – the focus is on images and videos rather than text posts. Facebook still dominates the game, but Instagram still holds a strong place on the global list for the highest engagement. Here are four brands increasing their Instagram spending in Q2 2022.
1) Jones Soda to merge with Simply Better Brands as digital spend spikes
Jones Soda recently announced that it will soon merge with omnichannel platform Simply Better Brands. Jones is best known for its soda, but it also recently entered the cannabis-fused market with a product names Mary Jones. It also makes lemonade, teas, vitamin-enhanced waters, hydration beverages, and flavored sparkling waters. Its marketing efforts consist primarily of engaging younger generations on social media and via sports sponsorships. Including the Ultimate Fighting Championship, auto racing, skateboarding, BMX biking, snowboarding, and skiing.
So far this year, Pathmatics reports Jones has spent roughly $240.8k on digital ads, nearly 5x the roughly $54k it had spent by this point last year. The company ended up spending roughly $292.4k on this channel last year, a huge increase from (again almost 5x) the roughly $54.9k it spent in 2020. Jones has earned ~28.9m digital impressions YTD via Facebook (51%) and Facebook (49%) ads.
- Sellers: Simply Better tends to target Gen-Z and millennial consumers, reportedly. According to its most recent financial results, which covered the three months ended last September 30, the company had revenue of $9.1m and a net loss of $8m. As you can tell by Jones’s focus on sports sponsorships, its target demographic typically has a male skew. Sellers able to offer high-ROI digital channels should get in touch soon.
- Agency and martech readers: When one company acquires another, we often see it reevaluate the acquired company’s agency roster. Therefore, keep these companies on your radar for future work. Jones has an in-house media team, with PR at ICR.
2) Mindbody extends partnership with Exos
Mindbody recently renewed its strategic partnership with Exos. Thanks to the three-year agreement, Exos will use Mindbody’s tech across its 200+ locations. Mindbody may seek similar partnerships in the future, so keep it on your radar.In 2021, Pathmatics reports Mindbody spent roughly $134.5k on digital ads, a huge drop from the roughly $2.4m it spent in 2020. The company earned around 17.3m digital impressions last year via Facebook (67%), desktop display (19%) and Instagram (14%) ads.
Mindbody targets businesses in need of services such as client account management, online stores, and point of sale. It also targets consumers in need of the services on its wellness app. Considering the fact that Mindbody is focusing on strategic partnerships and not spending much on advertising, it may be focused on B2B advertising more than consumer-centric advertising right now.
- Sellers: Get in touch if able to offer high-ROI B2B strategies.
- Agency and martech readers: No glaring signs of upcoming agency reviews, but you may have a shot at project-based work.
3) K-Swiss taps marketing VP as spend increases significantly
Tennis gear e-retailer K-Swiss named Anna Amador as marketing VP, effective February 2022. Amador was most recently the marketing VP at Skechers. Now, she will oversee global brand expression focused on regional efforts. This isn’t K-Swiss’s only recent leadership change. In January 2022, the company named Christine Kayayan as brand marketing manager. She previously served as the PR and marketing manager at ConsumerTrack.
These hires show that K-Swiss is starting to focus more on marketing, which could lead to spend increases and/or agency reviews. So far this year, Pathmatics shows the company has spent roughly $117.3k on digital ads, more than double the roughly $45.5k it spent within the same 2021 timeframe. In 2021, K-Swiss’s approximate full-year spend increased 44% to $635k from that of $441.2k in 2020. The company has earned ~13.2m digital impressions via Facebook (86%) and Instagram (14%) ads.
- Sellers: This sharp rise in digital spend, along with this reliance on paid socials, shows K-Swiss is primarily targeting athletic Gen-Z right now. Therefore, it may make future forays into additional digital channels such as OTT and/or podcasts. Sellers able to offer relevant ad space should contact soon to secure some of these increasing ad dollars. Remember, K-Swiss is also focused on regional initiatives.
- Agency and martech readers: Marketing hires like this one often lead to agency reviews, so keep K-Swiss on your radar for future work.
19 Crimes launches new Martha Stewart wine, new AR labels
19 Crimes recently debuted the first wine from entrepreneur Martha Stewart. The brand is also appealing to an elusive male millennial audience by turning its labels into animated living histories customers can access through augmented reality (AR) apps designed with the help of Wunderman Thompson.
Last summer, parent company Treasury Wine Estates added to 19 Crimes’s marketing team; it named Cassie Perry as associate brand manager in August 2021. In 2021, Pathmatics reports the brand allocated roughly $789.6k toward digital ads, almost double the roughly $404.4k it allocated in 2020. 19 Crimes ended up earning ~64m digital impressions last year via Instagram (29%), mobile display (29%), desktop display (20%), Facebook (13%), and desktop video (8%) ads.
- Sellers: 19 Crimes primarily targets millennials and Gen-X via digital and TV channels. Remember, though, it’s especially targeting millennial men, whom wine brands often experience difficulty trying to reach. Sellers should get in touch soon to offer ways to support the launches of the brand’s Mary Stewart wine and new AR experience.
- Agency and martech readers: No glaring signs of upcoming agency reviews, but you may be able to secure project-based work at some point. BARU Advertising is 19 Crimes’s media buying and planning AOR.