Maybelline brings on their first ever male beauty influencer, e-commerce site ModCloth is going IRL, doctors say some Millennials’ fitness obsession may be going too far, and more links to click this Friday!
1. Maybelline Presents: Their First Male Ambassador
Our Genreless Generation trend found 78% of 13-33-year-olds say it’s ok for girls to be masculine and guys to be feminine, and CoverGirl embraced the gender blur when they cast the first ever CoverBoy last year. Don’t miss how Maybelline is now following CoverGirl’s lead, naming beauty influencer and vlogger Manny Gutierrez their first-ever male brand ambassador. Gutierrez, who has 2.1 million YouTube followers, has partnered with brands like Benefit and GlamGlow before, and says he is “thrilled to be able to work with a global brand…that is recognizing male influencer talent and is willing to shine a spotlight on it.”
2. ModCloth Goes IRL
Experiencification was a marketing star in 2016 that will no doubt continue to evolve and grow this year, and even brands who have found their success online are beginning to create IRL experiences. Don’t miss a look at ModCloth’s first ever brick-and-mortar location, opened at their young shoppers’ insistence. Designed as a “fit shop,” the store offers appointments where consumers can be measured and have a one-hour consultations with a stylist. Walk-ins are also welcome, and free to browse the store’s selection—which is divided by “moods and moments” like work or date night outfits.
3. Are Millennials Working Out Too Hard?
When we asked Millennials and teens their 2017 New Year resolutions, getting and staying physically fit came out on top, and we asked about fitness last year, 73% of 13-33-year-olds agree “I don’t want to be skinny, I want to be athletic.” But don’t miss how some Millennials may actually be pushing themselves too hard in the quest to be fit. Doctors across the country are reporting a rise in hip pain among young patients, which they’re attributing to the popularity of high-intensity work outs like CrossFit classes and Tough Mudder races.
4. News Outlets Turn To Instagram Stories
As outlined in our recently released The Post-TV Gen trend, eight in 10 consumers ages 13-34 predict that digital services will eventually replace cable and satellite programming and young consumers are more likely to access video content on mobile than TV screens. Don’t miss how news outlets are now turning to Instagram Stories to reach young audiences. Finding that “Snapchat is better for hard news,” and Instagram was “one of the few remaining places where speech is positive,” Al Jazeera started a location-based series that gives guided tours around cities that correspondents are based in. It uses the stories to draw attention to long-form content on other platforms.
5. Tinder Spoofs VR
2016 saw virtual reality inch towards the mainstream, and this year more brands are expected to jump in on the trend. Don’t miss how Tinder is parodying the trend in a unique effort “to bring people together.” At CES this week, the dating app unveiled a (not to be taken seriously) VR headset where two people can stare at each other through a tube the “old fashioned way.” According to the brand, “everyone is launching a VR headset nowadays,” and the spoof is intended to reinforce their mission of encouraging real-life experiences over dating on screens.
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