Twitter downvotes, media optimisation through creative, and the Metaverse celebrates Black History Month

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This week, Twitter tests the downvote globally, the Metaverse celebrates Black History Month and media optimisation is a game of diminishing returns.

1. Twitter gets a global downvote… button.

Twitter has begun a global test of a downvote button, but it’s not quite like it sounds. The new feature is private,  meaning users won’t be able to see when a tweet or reply has been downvoted. Instead, it is being used by the platform as a feedback mechanism to understand the content people enjoy. It forms part of the company’s commitment to tackling moderation challenges and enhancing the user experience. By empowering people to voice when a comment isn’t adding to the conversation, it is hoping to develop ways to surface and prioritise higher quality content. The button, which is being trialed by a select group of people worldwide, could eventually affect what tweets get shown in which order. But it’s getting mixed thumbs up from the public. While some people believe it could significantly improve the quality of conversation, others fear that it risks creating a false narrative by narrowing the range of perspectives and silencing marginalised groups.

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2.  Advertising creative demands a seat at the table

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Optimise your media performance with a flawless campaign set up and you’ll see returns, right? Not anymore according to industry experts, who have found that algorithms and analytics are no longer enough to win consumers. Advertising creative is becoming a key factor in improving programmatic performance as design and messaging are beginning to rival, if not overtake, the effectiveness of optimisation. Even the most technically sound campaigns are struggling to overcome the consequences of poor creative as consumers increasingly seek out digital experiences that align with their values. As a result, advertisers are having to sharpen their skill set and attempt to recontextualise the experience of social media on programmatic display.

And we’ve experienced it firsthand. Insight driven creative was at the heart of our work with Manchester designers Blake Mill, who experienced their most successful results to date. By developing creative that was rooted in the brand’s authentic values, we were able to deliver a unique experience that we optimised all across all platforms. The best of both.

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3. Black History Month 2022 is out-of-this-world

And lastly, to celebrate Black History Month, Meta is launching a metaverse culture series dedicated to weaving black culture, heritage and creativity into the fabric of the metaverse. The year-long series will honour black creators and thought leaders through immersive virtual and augmented reality experiences and content. In it’s announcement of the celebration, Meta said it was  “inspired by the past, driven by the present and energised by the future to recognise Black history as it’s being lived and written today.” Events will include a weekly exploration of the unsung heroes of Black Lives Matter and a History for the Future campaign where creators will discuss how to create for the future and establish your legacy.

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