Search Results

UNIVERSITY PROJECTS Creative dissertation Guide to influencer marketing A comprehensive playbook/guide to developing a successful influencer marketing strategy and how to avoid cancel culture Report - Industry case study The impact of gossip journalism on the consumerism of influencers A report exploring current trends within the digital marketing industry, M&C Saatchi as a case study and conceptual overlaps in my dissertation research. Music Journalism How TikTok is changing the way we discover music + PinkPantheress album review An article on the topic of how popular social media platform TikTok is shaping the way audiences discover (and rediscover) music. Plus, viral sensation PinkPantheress album review Written Dissertation Read all about it: Celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture An analysis into the impact of celebrity gossip journalism on mental health and modern society, with reference to Caroline Flack as a case study. Global Media The future of social media marketing and influencers As part of a group project, I created a podcast to discuss current trends within the social media marketing industry, influencers and the future online.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT Examples of visual content and copy I have created for social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for the purpose of increasing impressions, engagement rate and brand awareness. Content has been produced for both B2C and B2B audiences. Instagram We’ve made protecting your car easier this winter with our JANUARY OFFERS! Get up to 15% off, including 10% off Warranty! ❄️🚗 Don't miss out, get a quote via our website NOW! 🏃 Wondering how to access your car's service history? 🤔📖 Writer @trinitygfrancis tells us how! Swipe ➡️ for three easy ways you can check your car’s history, or click the link in our bio to find out more! 🚗 According to @therac_uk , 30% of Brits fail to check if their car is safe for the road before they start their journey.🚗🧊 Find out how to prepare your car for the winter roads by clicking the link in our bio!❄️☔ Growing consumer demand and limited supply have resulted in the value of used cars continuing to rise. Alongside franchise dealer's 2.5% increase, supermarkets saw an increase of 2.1%, and independents saw a rise of 0.5%. #cars #motoring #automotive #usedcar #buyacar #sellacar #cardealership #cardealer #franchisedealer #carnews Facebook ​@autotraderuk has estimated that there will be around 15 million cars over ten-years-old on Britain's roads by 2027. This comes as a result of disrupted production during the pandemic, as well as increased new car prices from the cost-of-living crisis. Would you purchase an older vehicle? #cars #motoring #automotive #oldervehicles #usedcars #buyacar #sellacar #cardealership #futurepredictions LinkedIn YouTube

About Us Finding Inspiration in Every Turn This is your About Page. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what you do and what your website has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. Our Story Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what your team does, and what your site has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers, and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery, or video for even more engagement. Meet The Team Don Francis Founder & CEO Ashley Jones Tech Lead Tess Brown Office Manager Lisa Rose Product Manager Kevin Nye HR Lead Alex Young Customer Support Lead Our Clients

NEWSLETTERS Examples of monthly newsletters I have copywritten and designed for a B2C audience to reach a 500,000+ members contact list. These newsletters boosted both open and click-through rates, subsequently resulting in an increase in website traffic and overall sales.

Report - Creative Industry Project The impact of negative press on the consumerism of influencers Can you market a damaged reputation? ​ This report will discuss the digital marketing and PR industry, academically defining key terms, identifying current trends and comparing research to my dissertation. To begin, the first section of this report will examine and define the current trends shown within this industry; social media campaigns, influencer marketing and user generated content. The second section draws upon a case study of the marketing organisation M&C Saatchi and their work within this industry, discussing their divisions, audience and how they have used current digital marketing trends throughout their previous campaigns. The third section of this report will explore the conceptual overlap between the academic research found within my dissertation literature review, in order to examine the relationship between celebrity gossip journalism and one key current trend - influencer marketing. Lastly, my final section will analyse the findings and analysis chapter of my dissertation to conclusively discuss the information I found within my own research, identifying audience opinions, current developments within the journalism industry and how this benefit the marketing industry. Industry This section will academically define and discuss the concept of digital marketing and explore current trends within the industry, including social media, influencer marketing and UGC (User Generated Content). Defined by David Chaffey as ‘achieving marketing objectives through applying digital media, data and technology’ (Chaffey, 2019:9), the digital marketing industry is a growing business. For advertisers, digital marketing ‘serves to cluster a range of types of media and strategies, including web, mobile, tablet social, locative, wearable and other networked devices capable of contributing to advertising experiences’ (Andrew McStay, 2016: 3) Ryan Damien et al of 'Understanding Digital Marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation ' states a list of components that will form a successful digital marketing strategy. These involve; 'knowing your business, knowing the competition, knowing your customers, knowing what you want to achieve and knowing how you’re doing.' (Ryan Damien et al, 2012: 23) Current trends A current strategic trend within the digital marketing industry is the use of social media for advertisement campaigns and audience connectivity. In 2021, research found that there were ‘forty five million social media users in the UK’ and the average number of social media accounts per user ‘averaged to 6.9’ (Avocado Social, 2021). Using this information, Chaffey informs us that ‘given the popularity of these social networks, many companies will seek to develop an overall social media strategy.’ (Chaffey, 2019: 172) In order to develop a social media strategy, it is important for businesses to consider how their target audience engages with online media, identifying their most used social platforms and the content they interact with. These networks in particular often include Facebook, Instagram, and also TikTok, as they currently drive the most online traffic, 'Facebook remains the most used platform by marketers worldwide [at] ninety three percent.' (Brent Barnhart, 2022) Correspondingly, the popularity of social media has also caused the development of social media Influencers. Influencers are categorised as individuals who post regularly on their online personal profiles and attract audiences who follow similar interests. Influencers effectively use their personality to influence their following. Due to this, another current trend used by marketing companies is using these influencer profiles throughout their campaigns. Daniel Belanche of 'Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products and consumers ' defined influencer marketing as 'marketing communications in which influencers promote a brand's offerings on their own social media pages.' (Daniel Belanche et al, 2021: 186) Influencer marketing can be in the form of brand ambassadors or product advertisers and is strategically used in an aim to attract the businesses target audience. ‘Brands love social media influencers because they can create trends and encourage their followers to buy products they promote.' (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2021). Belanche goes on to note that ‘followers evaluate information more favourably if they perceive their own fit with the influencer but also if the influencer seems to fit well with the product, brand (or) outfit that he/ she is promoting.' (Belanche et al, 2021: 187) Therefore, suggesting that, in order to be successful, it is important that companies connect with influencers who are an appropriate fit for their brand. It is also considerable to recognise the key demographic for social media influencer marketing campaigns. Research has found that '70% of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities' (Digital Marketing Institute, 2021). From this statistic, we can learn that currently, teenagers are much more likely to trust and consume a product advertised and endorsed by a social media influencer, making them a key demographic for influencer marketing strategies and campaigns. Lastly, another current trend within the digital marketing industry is the use of UGC (User generated content). UGC is described as ‘content related to [a] brand that is created by someone who is not an official representative of [the] business’. (Ted Vrountas, 2021). Brands are beginning to encourage the use of user generated content as it ‘creates authenticity and credibility’ because ‘it is made by the people who already use [the] products and services’. (McMartin, 2021) I n addition, user generated content is also encouraged for its ability to ‘make customers feel like they are part of the community’ (McMartin, 2021) as individuals can actively share their interests, using creativity, with likeminded individuals. Examples of user generated content include images, videos, podcasts - such as Apple’s ‘#ShotoniPhone’ campaign, aimed at encouraging users to share images and videos that they have personally taken using an iPhone. Organisation Throughout this report, I will be focusing on the marketing and advertising organisation M&C Saatchi Group , particularly their sport and entertainment division. Founded in 1995, M&C Saatchi’s operations span twenty three countries, with major hubs in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and Australia (M&C Saatchi, 2022) and includes six divisions; Connected Creativity ; Passion Marketing ; Global and Social Issue s; Brand, Experience and Innovation ; Performance Media and Talent Management . Describing themselves as ‘a creative company’, their vision is to ‘value difference, with an inclusive culture brought to life through equity, enabling us to achieve our goals' (M&C Saatchi, 2022), M&C Saatchi work with both national and international organisations to create digital marketing campaigns, many of which feature celebrities and influencers. In reference to current digital marketing trends, M&C Saatchi has notably used social media to launch campaigns such as ‘Where Everyone Plays ’ with international company Coca Cola. This campaign consisted of a one minute video advertisement, uploaded to video sharing platform YouTube, featuring members of the England football team in an aim to promote Coca Cola’s sponsorship of the 2019/20 Premier League. Alongside this, Coca Cola also implemented a digital takeover of the Premier League’s social channels, in order to increase audience engagement. The advert attracted over fifty thousand views within twenty four hours, and generated a 8.4 million reach of Coca Cola’s digital takeover. (M&C Saatchi Sports and Entertainment, 2019) ​ ​ ​ ‘We are proud to work with Coca Cola in leading and implementing multi-channel, multi-geography campaigns for sixteen years and counting’ (M&C Saatchi, 2019) ​ Furthermore, in regards to current trends of digital marketing, M&C Saatchi have also created advertisement campaigns featuring social media influencers, such as ‘The Footlocker Collective ’ , which was created as part of the organisation’s partnership with sport retailer Foot Locker. The campaign features a ‘handpicked group of sneakerheads and lifestyle influencers’ (M&C Saatchi, 2022) modelling their products on online platforms such as Instagram. As a result of this campaign M&C Saatchi reported 16.3 million average impressions across owned social channels. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Footlocker Collective campaign (M&C Saatchi 2017) ​ Additionally, this organisation also uses social media marketing and Influencers to build relationships with audiences through awareness campaigns such as 'Kooth Won't Do It Alone '. Together with an online mental wellbeing organisation, Kooth, the campaign focused on normalising the topic of speaking up about mental health among teenagers and young adults, featuring individuals with a high social media following, such as YouTube content creators Amelia Dimoldenberg and Chunkz, as well as dance DJ Jax Jones. ​ ​ ​ ​ In reference to their campaigns, M&C Saatchi’s leading demographic is typically young adults and teenagers. This is clear by organisation’s presence within online media platforms and the use of influencers throughout their campaigns. As mentioned in the industry chapter, young adults are often the most associated demographic with social media influencers, particularly due to the emergence of content creation, and research stating that a large majority of teenagers are more willing to trust influencers than with traditional celebrities. ​ ​ Conceptual overlap In my dissertation, titled 'Read all about it: celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture ', I discussed the issue concerning the ways in which celebrities are presented within UK tabloid gossip journalism and the negative implications that this has on mental health and society. My literature review chapter explored academic concepts of tabloid journalism, specifically regarding the most frequently chosen topics of discussion within celebrity gossip articles and the breaching of privacy and ethics. Using De Backer and Fisher’s theory, we learnt that the two most frequent modes of celebrity discourse is using strategy learning gossip and reputation gossip. The term 'strategy learning gossip' is used to describe the instance in which the content of discourse is less direct and ‘the identity of the person, who is the subject of gossip, is less important, and instead, what happened to the person who is the subject of gossip’ (De Backer and Fisher, 2012: 407). Whereas, reputation gossip concerns who somebody is, therefore impacting the reputation of the subject individual. There is a conceptual overlap between the topics discussed within my literature review and my chosen organisation as, in the event that an individual’s reputation is compromised or damaged by gossip reporting, brands and companies will often make an effort to deter from using them within their campaigns, in order to protect their own reputation. Gossip journalism therefore has, not only, a negative impact on the damaged reputation of the subject, but also for the brand name and reputation if they are already closely affiliated with the influencer through previous campaigns. 'If a famous person is involved in incidents that change, or even damage his or her reputation,[it] can potentially alter perceptions of the brand-celebrity congruence.' (Des Thwaits & Ben Lowe, 2010: 15) Furthermore, as mentioned in the industry chapter, Belache's statement that f ollowers evaluate information more favourably 'if the influencer seems to fit well with the product, brand (or) outfit that he/ she is promoting.' (Belanche et al, 2021: 187) was also supported by Thwaits and Lowe who argued that 'the greater the perceived fit between the brand and the celebrity, the more quickly an associative link between the two can be expected to develop.' (Thwaits & Lowe, 2010, 14). In the event of reputation gossip, this association can consequently result in further complications for the campaign and brand overall, as followers recognise an influencer's accurate 'fit' with a specific product or business that they have promoted online. Due to this, 'it is clear that negative publicity is a real concern for such sponsoring companies as it can affect brand image and sales.' ( Thwaits & Lowe 2010, 6) However, the concept of using recognisable faces to lead campaigns is not entirely a current trend, Belanche goes on to say that 'celebrities have long been leveraged for marketing campaigns.' (Belanche, 2021: 187) In previous years, following the event of reputation gossip, celebrities have been removed from brand endorsements. Findings and Analysis In order to collect my own research for my dissertation , I conducted interviews with ten young adults, aged between twenty to twenty five, in an aim to find out whether they actively consume celebrity gossip journalism and, if so, the impact it has on their perceptions and opinions. As displayed in my findings and analysis chapter of my dissertation, is it clear to see that young adults are becoming much less engaged with online journalistic gossip content. Interview responses demonstrated that audiences are appearing reluctant to openly admit that they have actively searched for or engaged with celebrity gossip journalism, stating that 'they “are not proud of” their consumption'. (Christina Smith, 2022, 23). This reluctancy was found to be caused by the belief that gossip journalism is often largely unreliable, exaggerated for reader attention and overall 'nonsense.' (Smith, 2022, 23). This research therefore has a beneficial impact towards the trending concept of using influencers and celebrities for advertisement purposes within the marketing and PR industry. Due to the lack of trust demonstrated throughout the responses I received, it is to be suggested that audiences are currently more likely to be influenced by an advertisement campaign, than the journalism articles they have read. This is beneficial as, in the event that reputation gossip is published regarding a recognised influencer, there is still an opportunity to continue to market the subjected individual(s) and protect brand identity, as audiences are less likely to believe the journalistic content they have consumed. ​ Additionally, my research also suggested that, when audiences do engage with gossip journalism, they expressed enjoyment for the information they have read concerning the scandal genre. This enjoyment for scandal could suggest a potential success for advertisers, and academic research found that 'misbehaviour and even criminal activity by celebrities have grabbed the attention of marketing executives who believe that ‘any publicity is good publicity.' (Donaton cited in Thwaites and Lowe, 2010). This concept of good publicity proposes the idea that reputation gossip is not necessarily always detrimental to brand's identity, as audiences enjoyment for scandalous news stories could allure to the belief that it is, situationally, good publicity. My findings further support this concept, as respondents commented that they are “always asking people if they’ve seen what certain celebrities have done now”. (Smith, 2022, 25) ​ Overall, my findings demonstrated that young adults are reluctant actively engage in celebrity and influencer gossip journalism as they believe it to be false and exaggerated for public attention. Additionally, my findings found that young adults are also much less likely to allow reputation gossip to impact their perceptions of subjected individuals, due to this distrust. Therefore, this information is vitally beneficial to the digital marketing industry, who use celebrities and influencers throughout their campaigns, as their brand identity is not necessarily comprised. Furthermore, my findings found that audiences expressed their enjoyment for the scandal genre, which supports the idea that journalistic publicity can be good publicity for marketers. ​ ​ Future projects To build on this research, to formulate my media making artefact, I am planning to create a social media campaign. This social media campaign will consist of information tailored towards businesses to explain how to effectively advertise online using social media content. Using creative tools, such as in the form of Instagram posts, stories and reels, I will aim to draw attention towards the concept of using content creation and influencers for advertisement purposes and demonstrate its effectiveness to businesses. Word count: 2508 ​ ​ ​ References ​ Barnhart, Brent. 2022, 41 of the most important social media marketing statistics for 2022, Sprout Social. Available at: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-statistics/ (Accessed on: 24th March 2022) ​ Belanche, Daniel, et al. 2021, Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products and consumers. P.186-193 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.067 Chaffey, David. 2019, Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice, 7th ed. p.1-531 De Backer, Charlotte & Fisher, Maryanne. 2012, Tabloids as a window into our interpersonal relationships: a content analysis of mass media gossip from an evolutionary perspective, Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, p.404-424 Damien, Ryan & Jones, Calvin. 2012, Strategic Thinking, Understanding Digital Marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation, p.18-35 ​ Geyser, Werner. 2022, What is an Influencer? Social Media Influencers Defined, Influencer Marketing Hub. (Available at: https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-an-influencer/ (Accessed on: 23rd March 2022) ​ M&C Saatchi, 2022. Available at: https://mcsaatchi.com (Accessed on: 15th March, 2022) M&C Saatchi. 2019, Coca Cola Premier League Where Everyone Plays, Sports and Entertainment. Available at: https://sportandentertainment.mcsaatchi.com/project/coca-cola-premier-league-where-everyone-plays/ (Accessed on: 15th March 2022) ​ McMartin. 2021, The Benefits of User Generated Content. Available at: https://macmartin.co.uk/user-generated-content/ (Accessed on: 22nd March 2022) McStay, Andrew. 2016, Digital Advertising, 2nd ed. p.1-74 ​ The UK Social Media statistics for 2021, Avocado Social. 2021, Available at: https://www.avocadosocial.com/the-uk-social-media-statistics-for-2021/ (Accessed on 15th March 2022) ​ Smith, Christina. 2022, Read All About It: celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture, p.7-35 ​ Thwaites, Des & Lowe, Ben. 2010, The Impact of Negative Publicity on Celebrity Ad Endorsements, Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 29, 1-29 ​ Twenty surprising Influencer marketing statistics, Digital Marketing Institute. 2021, Available at: https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you ( Accessed on 22nd March 2022) ​ Vrountas, Ted. 2021, User-Generated Content: Why It’s Effective and How to Use It in Your Marketing Campaigns, Instapage, Postclick. Available at: https://instapage.com/blog/what-is-user-generated-content (Accessed on: 20th March 2022)

Let's talk LinkedIn First Name Last Name Email Subject Message SEND Thanks for submitting!

Influencer marketing guide Your guide to influencer marketing, current trends and how to avoid cancel culture Playbook Current Influencer news Inspired by CORQ, I was interested to create my own guide to Influencer marketing. CORQ describe themselves as the 'ultimate toolkit for everyone working in influencer marketing, content development and social media communications.' (CORQ, 2022). CORQ offer consultancy and an academic programme for individuals interested in developing their carers within these growing industries. ​ This inspired me to create my own influencer marketing guide. In my written dissertation, my research concerned academic findings on the topic of celebrity gossip within journalism media, and the impact that this has on mental wellbeing. I wanted to continue this idea within my creative dissertation, as the topic of cancel culture is gaining relevancy within today's media.

A guide to: Influencer marketing Your comprehensive guide to creating influencer partnerships and avoiding cancel culture. Inspired by CORQ, I was interested to create my own guide to Influencer marketing. CORQ describe themselves as the 'ultimate toolkit for everyone working in influencer marketing, content development and social media communications.' (CORQ, 2022). CORQ offer consultancy and an academic programme for individuals interested in developing their carers within these growing industries. This inspired me to create my own influencer marketing guide. ​ In my written dissertation, my research concerned academic findings on the topic of celebrity gossip within journalism media, and the impact that this has on mental wellbeing. I wanted to continue this idea within my creative dissertation, as the topics of influencer journalism and cancel culture are gaining relevancy within today's media. ​ I used these ideas to produce a comprehensive guide for marketers, who are looking at developing their current strategies to include use of influencers. I have included information regarding how to create an influencer campaign, the types of influencer to consider, how to avoid cancel culture and successful case studies. Presentation link- https://www.canva.com/design/DAFB1D8hDM8/view?utm_content=DAFB1D8hDM8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink References ​ CORQ, 2022. Available at: https://corq.studio/ (Accessed May 2022) ​ Digital Marketing Institute, 2021. 20 surprising influencer marketing statistics. Available at: https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you (Accessed May 2022) ​ Influencer Matchmaker (no date) 15 Influencer Marketing Statistics you need to see to believe. Available at: https://influencermatchmaker.co.uk/blog/15-influencer-marketing-statistics-you-need-see-believe (Accessed May 2022) Social Shepard, 2022. 28 Essential Influencer Marketing Statistics you need to know in 2022. Available at: https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics (Accessed May 2022) ​ ​

BLOGPOSTS AND ARTICLES A guide to UK number plates Not only does September welcome the end of summer and the beginning of darker evenings, but also the arrival of the new UK registration plate. How to keep your car clean during a hose pipe ban It’s the height of summer, and it’s hot. Basking in the fact that you haven’t seen rainfall in weeks, you start to notice that your grass is now no longer a healthy shade of green... Top Rated Christmas Markets 2022 There’s no better way to fully immerse yourself in the festive spirit than by visiting a wonderland of stalls, rides, and delicious mulled wine. Discover our guide to the best Christmas markets for all the family to enjoy... How the budget impacts the cost of motoring We’ve all felt the effects of the recent price rises, from basic food essentials to the housing market – it’s been hard to miss. This cloud of financial uncertainty has left many drivers also concerned about the rising cost of motoring.

Music Journalism How TikTok is changing the way we discover music You said you’d only go on TikTok for a minute…now it’s 1am. It’s been an hour. You’ve seen the same dance routine so many times you could perform it with your eyes closed, and now you’re glued to a random live stream. We’ve all been there. It’s addictive…but we love it. And even though we all vow to delete the app whenever we view our screen time, statistics show that TikTok currently holds around one billion users who, on average, actively spend around eight hundred and fifty minutes per month on the app. Given these figures, it’s clear to see that TikTok is dominating the social media landscape…and with this power, comes great ability to change how we consume media, and what we do with it...especially for the music industry. From choreographed dance routines, to viral memes, music on TikTok is what keeps the app so successful with its users and, according to Junkee journalist Jules Leferve, success on this app has also proven to be replicated in the charts; Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow and so many more have been boosted by trending audio tracks. While you and your friend both simultaneously hum the same five lyrics of a song you don’t even know the name of, stats in 2021 showed that over 175 songs that have trended on TikTok also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, which was reported to be twice as many than that of the previous year. For music producers, it’s far from breaking news that TikTok is becoming so effective in changing the way we discover and consume music. And for artists such as singer Olivia Rodrigo, this was especially apparent. Star of High School Musical: The Series, Olivia Rodigo’s song ‘All I want ’ first became a memorable trending audio on TikTok in the summer of 2020. Most famously, in January 2021, her own song ‘Driver’s Licence ’ quickly followed suit and has since been used on the app over a million times. At just eighteen years old, the actress-turned-singer celebrated three UK ‘top 20 tracks of 2021 ’ in Spotify’s ‘wrapped’ annual year in review. TikTok is arguably to be thanked for her sudden success, as trending audios can help artists to immediately boost their songs across the platform, reaching huge audiences all over the world in a matter of hours. “From the Beatles to Sea Shanties, J Balvin to Abba and of course who can forget Taylor Swift's entry - the last 12 months have provided so many music moments, inspired our community of one billion and shown the world that music starts and lives on TikTok” - Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music on TikTok Last year, TikTok’s newsroom reported that over a whopping 75% of TikTok users say that they have discovered new artists on the platform, in addition to the 63% of users who heard new music on the app that they have never heard before - currently making it the number one place for music discovery, more than through other digital platforms, streaming services and friends. These figures are only expected to continue to grow and reports have suggested that it can largely be thanks to TikTok’s algorithm method (aka; the ‘for you page ’). The ‘for you page’ effectively works by showing users content that is somewhat personalised to them, based generally on their recent app activity (such as their searches, likes and comments) and are not necessarily uploaded by accounts that they choose to follow. This feature helps artists reach their target audience, by putting their trust into the algorithm that they will appear on the FYP (For You Page) of users who have actively interacted with similar content. However, according to a recent BBC News article, these figures are also raising concerns among artists that they are ‘missing out on a big part of their audience’ if they are not present or consistently active on the creative social media platform. British dance-pop artist Becky Hill told BBC News, “I don’t think people know the pressure there is on artists to go viral” This worry has led to many artists putting the pressure on themselves to ensure that TikTok has become a vital part of their social media routine, particularly those looking to emerge into the music scene, in the hopes of getting noticed and attracting their target audience. In a time where TikTok is a key part of music discovery, presence on the app is now more important than ever, and artists are at risk of losing listeners if they tune out of the app. What does this mean for the future of music on TikTok? If you haven’t already been convinced to become a social media musical sensation, then TikTok’s latest plans could sway you. As of March 2022, TikTok announced that they were launching a new platform ‘SoundOn ’. According to Talking Influence online, SoundOn is an ‘all-in-one platform for music marketing and distribution’ and will reportedly allow artists to upload their music to TikTok and effectively earn royalties when it is used in videos by creators. For up and coming musicians, this news is like music to their ears. This feature will provide artists with the opportunity to gain earnings on their viral content and boost their careers within such a competitive industry. In addition to this, in August 2021 Tiktok launched ‘Find the Unsigned ’ - a new campaign in order to “shine a light” on talented users of the app, who are yet to be recognised as signed artists. The ‘Find The Unsigned’ campaign featured billboards, located near iconic music venues across major cities in the UK, which included QR codes to unlock an in-app page dedicated to showcasing a range of unsigned artists on TikTok. ​ TikTok’s ‘Find The Unsigned’ campaign Together with SoundOn, Find the Unsigned supports new artists hoping to break into the music industry, by offering them a platform to showcase their talents, attract an audience and earn royalties when their sound is recognised. "Music is a central part of TikTok and every day our global community are discovering new sounds and genres, and helping artists build fanbases and achieve success” - Paul Hourican, Head of Music Operations UK at TikTok Return of the Mac Not only has TikTok provided opportunities for up and coming artists, but the use of nostalgic classics have also become a popular trend for TikTok creators. According to TikTok’s 2021 music report , your parent’s favourite tracks such as; George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper ’, Earth, Wind and Fire’s ‘Let’s Groove ’ and the Bee Gee’s ‘More Than A Woman ’ were all part of the conclusive list of the top ten classic tracks used on TikTok in the US. Over 40 years since its initial release in 1977, More Than a Woman - described by TikTok as ‘the ideal soundtrack for moments that boost serotonin’ - was remixed in 2021 by British music producer SG Lewis. The track, ‘More Than A Woman - SG's Paradise Edit ’, has been used over 300,000 times on TikTok since its release, and has also been made available for listening on streaming platforms, such as Spotify and YouTube. As well as these golden oldies, it was also reported that our 2021 listening history similarly saw the return of nineties and noughties chart toppers (aka; ‘comeback tracks’). TikTok’s list of the top ten most used comeback tracks of the year included songs such as MKTO’S ‘Classic’ , Britney Spears’ ‘Gimme More ’, and of course topping first place, Destiny’s Child’s ‘Bills, Bills, Bills ’. For people who love their throwbacks, or those who are too young to have heard them before, TikTok continues to provide its users with a range of music. Whether it’s shining a spotlight on up and coming artists, or helping bring back the forgotten club classics, music on TikTok is what makes the app so successful. And it’s pretty clear to see that the platform is only at the beginning of its plan to shape the way we discover and enjoy music. ​ Pink Pantheress album review - To Hell With It At only twenty one years old, the mysterious PinkPantheress is already dominating the breakthrough charts. Who is she? Recognised for her unique tracks including ‘Pain ’, Passion , and ‘Just for me ’, the Bath-born singer, songwriter and record producer PinkPantheress began her career posting her unreleased tracks to social media platform TikTok (where she also adopted her stage name) in November 2020. And while you might not know her name, you’ll definitely recognise her songs. Her viral content on the app, particularly those captioned ‘Day 11 of posting a song every day because I have nothing else to do ’ and ‘Guys I recorded a full version of this song during my Zoom lecture lol ’ have since had their audio used on the platform over 100,000 times. Currently, her account now holds almost two million followers, boasts over eleven million likes and was described by TikTok newsroom as a ‘singular mix of futuristic nostalgia, which seemed to emanate from the ether as it transfixed TikTok users on both sides of the Atlantic.’ For those of you who have been living under a social media rock, you’ll most likely recognise her for reaching number twenty in the charts, winning BBC Sound Of 2022, and featuring on tracks alongside Central Cee , Mura Masa and Lil Uzi Vert . This popularity then led to her releasing a debut mixtape less than a year later, titled ‘To Hell With It’. Featuring only nine songs (including those aforementioned) plus one bonus track, ‘To Hell With It’ was released last year onto all major streaming platforms, after being a DIY project recorded by herself on a broken mic in her university accommodation. While I admit, simply recognising her lyrics can be considerably challenging at times (yet to make it on to my list of go-to karaoke songs), it is effectively made up by the the vibe and energy she brings with her music…it’s addictive. “The aesthetic of nostalgia” Firstly, let’s address her sound PinkPantheress’ unique sound is what makes her music so easily repeatable, and it’s hard to accurately categorise her music to fit one specific genre. Described as flowing between dance-pop and liquid drum and bass, her sound may not be for all tastes, but it certainly reaches multiple audiences. Considered to be reminiscent of artists such as Wilkinson, Hybrid Minds and Clairo, PinkPatheress has noted that her biggest inspirations are actually musicians such as Frank Ocean, Lily Allen and even the legendary Michael Jackson, explaining to BBC News that her unique style is the result of going through “every [music] phase possible ”. The mixtape opens with her breakout song ‘Pain’ which was her most popular trending track on TikTok and, according to music journal Pitchfork , sampled UK garage mega-hit “Flowers’. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ At only just over eighteen minutes long, it’s a mixtape made for repetition, only reining true to her successful TikTok roots. The sort of sound that is heard once, only to be on replay mentally for hours later. Using the technique of sampling throughout her album, songs such as Passion, I must apologise and Noticed I cried are the perfect background music, that also keeps your mood lifted and your mind entertained. To Hell With It accurately encapsulates the aesthetic of nostalgia. The background for 90s raves, or the introduction to a coming-of-age film - how we feel when we listen to her music is what makes her so successful. As I mentioned previously, lyrically the album is arguably not so fluent, and unlike usual chart topping artists, her songs also don’t typically follow a simple narrative structure. PinkPantheress can be heard vocalising adolescent topics such as confusing relationships, family and being bored at 19 and, while they may be relatable, it is clear that her music does not always follow a specific subject matter. This, in turn, only alludes to the mystery about who she is. However, whatever your preference, her unique sound remains the focus of her tracks and appropriately compensates for this. Whether you’ve heard of her on TikTok, or not heard of her at all, PinkPantheress’ mixtape is definitely a recommended listen. While her album may not be to everyone’s taste, as a breakthrough artist, her sudden success is undeniable. PinkPantheress is definitely one to watch. ​

Influencer marketing news Recent updates; the influencer industry and CORQ's debunk of the government inquiry. Influencer news The government's inquiry How this will impact consumerism of influencers CORQ (Influencer insights programme) The Digital, Culture, Media and Sports committee have been investigating the influencer committee for 8 months Vast economy - professional content creators, has developed into an industry Lack of insight - MPs feel government has not reacted fast enough to the growth of the industry Improved legislation and regulation - lack of monitoring has meant that legislation does not fit purpose to protect content creators. Changes to regulations Remove editorial control - influencer advertising will no longer be defined by whether the creator had control over the content or not Turnover based fines for non compliance - greater powers to enforce consumer protection law Conduct annual review on influencer compliance for evidence Base level influencer fees - act an an influencer minimum wage Influencer code of conduct - create one for your brand and make it publicly available Review who is consuming your content - if your audience is under 18, create a strategy to ensure they, as consumers, are protected and aware of advertising

Resume DOWNLOAD CV