The demand for video communication apps such as Skype and Zoom has reached their highest. Instagram has extended its Live session to an hour; you can now save your live sessions to your Instagram TV and you can now go live from YouTube. If anything, this pandemic has bred a whole new generation of on-the-go TikTok users, Snapchat fanatics, and Triller professionals who have used their time at home to perfect their content creation and editing skills. 2020 – the year of the online generation.
South Africa has seen a lot of changes due to the overwhelming presence of brands on social media. Mzansi’s most beloved Miss SA has joined in on the revolution by converting their entry system to online – contestants have been invited to submit their entry videos on social media. Twitter has gone frenzy over this. Popular flame-grilled chicken brand Nandos has been consistent with their online banter on Twitter, retaining their online loyalty with their customers even when they were not selling to the public. The Global Citizen Together at home Live music concert in association with Lady Gaga was live-streamed all over the world with various artists recording their performances from the comfort of their own homes. Almost everything has gone digital – brands that were sceptical about going online have enjoyed the benefits of staying virtually connected with their customers.
[https://twitter.com/Official_MissSA/status/1260210398109798400?s=20
While many popular music festivals such as Rocking The Daisies and 947 Huawei Joburg Day have either cancelled or postponed their events, artists have taken the liberty to host Instagram sessions where they perform for their fans online. One successful online campaign, Verzuz, which is run by world-renowned beat makers and producers, Timberland and Swizz Beatz has seen award-winning artists such as Erykah Badu and Jill Scott bring in 700 000 viewers to their 3 hours Verzuz performance. Controversial American rapper Takeshi 69 who was recently released from prison went Live on Instagram and had an astounding 2 million views, breaking the record for having the highest views for an Instagram live to date. These and many other examples go onto prove that the 4 Industrial Revolution which places an emphasis on how technologies and trends will change the way we live.
In our previous TikTok article, we mentioned the dangers and the critiques of the App, but there is no doubting the instrumental influence the App has had for popular rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The rapper’s popular song Savage marked her first number 1 hit thanks to the Savage challenge which was created by Tik Tok users. The prominence of the challenge grew so much that she landed herself a feature from Beyoncé on the remix. There is no denying that where there are pros to something, cons also present themselves. The use of online mediums has exposed the security breaches seen in Zoom meetings where hackers make their way in government calls and cause disruption. The expensive data costs in South Africa which are now in demand has seen network providers scrambling for answers for their customers who experience unsatisfactory service. The lagging of Facebook and Instagram Live videos present a challenge that Facebook needs to correct before another platform offers better services. But overall, 2020 really is the digital generation. As leaders in marketing, we can attest to that.
If you need help with establishing your online presence, send us an email to hello@hachoo.co.za for a tailored marketing plan.