The Future of TikTok is Uncertain, but Advertisers Are Certain They'll Keep Spending

TikTok might be facing uncertainty and potential bans in several countries, but advertisers aren't giving up on the popular social media app. Even with politicians fretting over national security threats and concerns about user data, major brands like Pepsi and Apple are still hitching a ride on the TikTok train.

The platform's US advertising revenue increased by 11% in March, showing that marketers aren't afraid to take risks. Plus, with ByteDance's Lemon8 app gaining popularity as a potential replacement, it's clear that the social media world is like a game of whack-a-mole. Take down one app and another will pop up in its place. So, whether it's TikTok, Lemon8, or some other platform, advertisers will keep on advertising, and social media users will keep on scrolling.

Rapid Rundown

• 📈 TikTok US ad spend up 11% in March despite uncertain future and potential ban.

• 🔥 ByteDance's Lemon8 may replace TikTok, but advertisers aren't worried.

Disney puts its brand in safe hands with its first-ever Chief Brand Officer

Disney has just crowned Asad Ayaz, their first-ever Chief Brand Officer (CBO). Ayaz is a veteran of the company, having worked for them for 13 years and even managed marketing for big brands like Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. Ayaz will be responsible for the global promotion and preservation of the Disney brand, from their theme parks to their streaming service, Disney

With the economy declining, investments shrinking, and privacy issues on Facebook and Google, it's no wonder brands are scrambling to find someone to take care of their image. Gone are the days when businesses can rely on direct response advertising to build their brand. Even companies like Disney, who historically have had great success with brand marketing, are now making it a top priority.

Rapid Rundown

• 📝 Asad Ayaz is Disney's first CBO, responsible for global brand promotion, from theme parks to Disney+.

• 💼 Businesses need Chief Brand Officers to preserve their image, in a declining economy and privacy issues era.

Tech Layoffs Hitting a Wall in Europe: Turns Out, Labour Laws Exist!

Big Tech is struggling to cut down headcounts due to Europe's strict labour laws. In Germany and France, firing employees without prior consultation with interest groups can be as complicated as navigating a hedge maze. Meanwhile, in the US, employees can be legally fired for anything from eating someone's lunch from the communal fridge to showing up to work with a bad haircut.

In France, Amazon has reportedly offered senior employees up to a year's pay to take their talents elsewhere, which sounds like a sweet deal until you realise that they'd have to find a new job, and that's no easy feat in today's economy.

The UK has weaker labour laws, which is why 500 out of 8,000 Google employees have already been given the boot. Meanwhile, in Canada, the tech layoff wave has been slower to spread because the labour laws there are more employee-friendly than in the US.

So, if you're a German Google employee feeling a bit too comfortable in your job, just remember, you're like a unicorn in a world full of donkeys. Cherish your job and don't take it for granted.

Rapid Rundown

• 💼 Big Tech struggles to cut jobs in Europe due to strict labour laws.

• 🇺🇸 US laws allow for easy tech layoffs, while Canada has employee-friendly laws.

Tools & Apps

June AI — Answer product questions using English

OKLCH Color Picker & Converter — The new way of working with colour

Avoma 3.0: AI Meeting Assistant — Human-like meeting notes generated 100% by AI

Easy — Beautiful app to Web3 with friends

FloStack for Inbound Conversions — Identify & engage quality website leads in seconds, not days

Streams 1.0 — Simplifying live and on-demand video streaming

Articles & Resources

How to contribute to a project you have no idea about — How I've contributed to Bun, a huge project that is written in a language I don't understand and does stuff that I've never worked on.

How To Incorporate Artificial Intelligence Into Your Content Workflows — No matter how many billions of dollars get invested into AI-driven marketing tools & software over the next few years – there are a few elements of marketing that will never be replaced.

To Niche or Not To Niche: Guidance from Creators on Picking A Lane — Explore both sides of picking a niche and guide you on how to find one that works for you.

How To Attract An Audience For Your Product — Reaching $100k in ARR without a website or an app, just 100% community hand-raisers.