Your consumers are never without their phones, so make buying your brand a breeze. Here are a few tips for winning at mobile commerce. Real quick, do you have your phone nearby? I do! Your future customers do, too. We’re all tethered to our mobile devices these days, making them one of the most effective ways to reach your target consumers. In fact, Statista reports that the majority  of retail website traffic now comes from mobile devices! That means countless opportunities to reach shoppers in a purchasing mindset and persuade them to choose your brand. Smart advertising campaigns are no longer conceptualized and then later “optimized for mobile” – they’re built with mobile in mind.  Here are a few ways to take full advantage of this quickly evolving, high-performing medium: What are the different types of mobile ads? Mobile advertising refers to any form of digital advertising that appears within a mobile or handheld device. The creative possibilities are endless, but a few of the most impactful forms include: Display (or Banner) Ads In 2024, display ads must be designed for mobile users, which means eye-catching designs and interactive user experiences. Our award-winning mobile marketing campaigns have included rich media and location data tech that guided people to physical stores and fun AR filters that consumers loved putting on their photos. Native Ads Most of us are primed to visually recognize and skip over advertisements that stand out from the content we're looking at -- native ads blend in with the surrounding content so viewers will read them without disruption. Gamification Turning a digital ad into a quick, fun puzzle or quiz increases user engagement exponentially. What's even better: o ffering a reward for ad engagement or offering purchase credits for in-app game participation (a la McDonald's and their Hamburglar games) can build long-term customer loyalty . Audio & Video Ads Video ads are extremely effective on mobile devices because they combine two forms of attention: sound and motion. They provide an opportunity to convey your brand's personality through creative visuals and sonic branding -- but they can also be expensive and often skippable. Augmented Reality As mentioned above, AR-infused ads can make your brand stand out from the stream of static and video ads, especially for apparel and home goods. Customers want to see how items will look in their space before purchasing, and with AR tech, you can give them the visuals they need to make a decision in real time. What is m-commerce, and how does it differ from e-commerce? Mobile commerce (or m-commerce) is a subset of e-commerce that specifically uses wireless or handheld electronic devices for buying and selling goods and services online. M-commerce can take place in a mobile web browser or in an app, and it allows for payment via digital wallet or contactless payment in addition to manual credit card data entry. A 2023 Morning Consult study showed that 60% of Americans believe mobile shopping is a necessity for convenient online shopping. That means brands need to build their e-commerce stores with mobile in mind from the start and make mobile shopping as seamless as possible, or they'll lose out to the competition. It also means: Mobile advertising campaigns should be built with m-commerce in mind! Don't just show users a mobile ad and be done with it -- our eyes are trained to skip over digital advertisements that aren't engaging and actionable. Build a smooth path to purchase from your native or social ad to your online store. You can then track the user's journey using URL mapping so you know which media channels are successfully driving traffic to your product pages. Examples of m-commerce marketing campaigns: Exverus' 2024 WARC Effectiveness Award -winning e-commerce campaign for Premier Protein & Dymatize established a direct path to purchase from TikTok & Instagram to the brands' Amazon pages using influencer content & link stickers during Amazon Prime Day. We designed a mobile-first AI Chatbot product recommender for John Soules Foods, allowing users to input their food preferences and receive personalized recommendations. Build a branded app where consumers (current and future) can shop, get advice, and access new releases instantly. After expanding their app to include digital drops, personal stylists, and visual product search, Adidas saw digital sales go up 51% in Q3 of 2020! Give mobile users access to exclusive community deals that make them feel like part of an in-group. 58% of shoppers say an exclusive offer would increase their likelihood to purchase. 82% say it would increase how often they shopped with a brand. How Mobile Commerce Builds Brand Loyalty Again, the possibilities for successful m-commerce campaigns stretch as far as your imagination. Gather a healthy sample of consumer data so you know who your audience is and what they want, and you can build an impactful campaign that serves your consumer well. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Advertisers can now measure the quality of attention paid to their ads. But is it worth the investment? You can track how many people were served your ad, but how do you know they paid any attention to it? Metrics like impressions and click-through rates don’t tell the whole story, which is why many marketers are experimenting with attention metrics in advertising campaigns. In fact, a 2023 DoubleVerify study showed almost 96% of advertisers worldwide using attention metrics in at least some of their buys that year! Let’s see how the right media agency could put this valuable information to work for your brand.   What are attention metrics? Attention metrics are measurements that indicate the quality of focus or engagement a consumer gives to an advertisement; these can vary depending on the ad format and placement. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) classifies these metrics into three main categories: Biometric Data - Tracks eye movements, facial recognition, brain waves, or heart rate Data/Device Signals - Time spent on site, scroll speed, cursor location, etc. Cognitive & Emotional Data - brand lift studies , focus groups, customer surveys, etc. Why is measuring attention important? Quality of attention can be a deeper indication of consumer interest than reach or viewability alone, offering brands better insights into which products or messages resonate best with their target audience. And, what if we could not only measure but optimize our campaigns for higher attention ?   Guess what? We can. Attention data is being used by Exverus today to place smarter programmatic bids through our partnership with DoubleVerify. Lastly, the signal loss from third-party cookie deprecation has intensified the need for advertisers to collect information about consumers’ preferences from other sources. Attention metrics are one way to fill that gap.   Challenges with attention metrics in advertising Admittedly, biometric data can be expensive to capture, and it usually comes from market research studies of consumers who opted in, but those research samples may or may not mirror your brand’s target audience. The lack of standardization across platforms also presents a challenge to advertisers comparing the effectiveness of different ad creatives or placements. Finally, the data signals publishers provide don’t always correlate with purchase intent . For example, significant time spent onsite could indicate consumer interest, or it could simply indicate a slow reader, multiple tabs open, or the person got up and walked away! These insights are meant to be a piece of the puzzle, not the whole thing. As with any new media metric on the market today, brands have to decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. According to our research, the data is showing us that impressions classified as "high attention" are getting 2 - 2.5X conversion rates above average.    And that's got our attention. For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

These digital advertising channels may seem unrelated, but they synergize in a media plan. If you want to advertise your brand to a large audience, you probably already want Connected TV (CTV) in your media mix, and for good reason: a recent study by the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) found that CTV advertising generated a 20% lift in brand awareness and 10% lift in intent to purchase! But have you considered adding digital out-of-home media (DOOH) to the mix? Digital out-of-home media is a powerful way to illustrate your message in public environments like digital billboards, transit stations, and building takeovers. These installations make a powerful impact and offer advertisers much more control and data than traditional out-of-home media. DOOH media might seem unrelated to CTV, but they actually have quite a bit in common! And when paired together in a media plan, they're a dream team. So: Why Do CTV and DOOH Pair So Well? Here are a few reasons we recommend these channels to our clients: Precise Audience Targeting As a media channel, CTV is practically unmatched in its ability to target the widest possible audiences of specific demographics and behaviors. Meanwhile, DOOH can target people in a precise physical neighborhood, who often share a similar demographic, income level, and lifestyle. If a consumer sees a brand advertised on TV and subsequently on the way to the train station, that’s a one-two punch already nurturing awareness and recall. "By integrating geo-fencing into all OOH placements after an audience profile has been built, we can build a retargeting base and follow up with CTV and other digital assets." - John Hoover, SVP at NPRP Media Programmatic Buying Both media channels can be bought programmatically , which offers advertisers time- and cost-efficiency, and a holistic view of their campaign’s digital performance. Like CTV display-side platforms (DSPs), programmatic DOOH platforms can work with an advertiser’s campaign parameters to deliver ads to the right people at the right price. Interactive Ad Capabilities Shoppable CTV ads  are exploding in popularity because they shrink the path from awareness to purchase into one touchpoint. In fact, a recent study by LG showed that 51% of the 1200 CTV users surveyed said they "wish they could shop online using their TV."  Interactive elements like on-screen QR codes, text message discount codes, or voice-activated commands get viewers immediately engaged with the brand and moving toward a purchase.  The same goes for DOOH! Those engaging elements can collect invaluable data points from across multiple channels to leverage into even stronger campaigns.  "Creating touchpoints across OOH and CTV ensures the exposure is consistently getting through, which is an ideal way to take a tough-to-measure format (like OOH) and position it as a touchpoint in attribution and measurement." - John Hoover, SVP of NPRP Media   Contextual Creative Delivery “Contextual” is the magic word of the post-cookie marketing era, and these channels do contextual targeting beautifully. Brands can reach audiences via hyperlocal campaigns and even use real-time data triggers (such as current weather conditions) to deliver relevant and impactful messages. Imagine you’re a coffee brand – you could serve hot coffee ads to folks bundled up in New York and iced coffee ads to Los Angeles simultaneously! Both CTV and DOOH dynamically adapt to real-time changes : CTV adjusts ads based on user behavior, while DOOH updates content according to location and time of day. The synergy between CTV and DOOH is strengthening as programmatic DSPs integrate more capabilities into single platforms. A good media agency partner can help your brand sort out which platforms will give you the most bang for your buck! Gone are the days when brand awareness and purchase consideration were relegated to separate channels – the funnel has collapsed , and omnichannel marketing campaigns that adeptly combine the advantages of each channel come out stronger in the end.  This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Marketing to Gen Z consumers requires brands to reach them outside of traditional social media platforms. Social media advertising is alive and well, but traditional social media platforms are becoming less social and more entertaining (and commercial ). Many Gen Zers are looking outside of the typical platforms to share stories and exchange information with friends. Enter the group chat. For Gen Z, the group chat is more than just a way to stay in touch with friends - it's a key source of information and influence. Group chats significantly shape Gen Z's buying decisions, from sharing memes and viral content to discussing the latest trends and products.   They're more apt to recommend a product, share a viral video, or alert a sale to their friends in a private group chat than in their Stories or Feeds. Faster than email, more visible than being buried in the social media feed, and less spammy than SMS; the group chat has proven successful for a variety of brands from cosmetics to travel, delivering higher open rates, CTR, and engagement than email marketing. So: How Can Brands Market to Gen Z via Group Chats? Here are a few ideas for approaching it gracefully without overstepping boundaries or invading people's privacy. Leverage existing brand-friendly group chat spaces Platforms and games like Discord, Roblox, and Fortnite have powerful reach and influence among Gen Z. Don't forget the behemoth, Meta's WhatsApp, with 2 Billion MAUs. And among the newer players is RTRO, a messaging app powered by Chat-GPT and targeted to Gen Z.   These communal platforms can be a place to announce new product releases to your superfans, helping to build demand and excitement. By creating branded chat rooms or partnering with popular influencers, businesses can connect with target audiences more authentically and engagingly.   Get interactive and build community The smartest brands aren't just talking to consumers; they're listening, too. One-way ads are out, and two-way conversations are in. Branded communities are a modern way to keep your followers, customers, and subscribers actively engaged. For example, Selena Gomez's cosmetics brand Rare Beauty has a digital community called Comfort Club, in which consumers share self-care tips and mutual support. Wendy's has a Discord server hosted by a funny chatbot; and Canva has a popular Facebook group where designers share best practices and the company can announce updates. Everybody wants to feel belonging to something, so position your brand as not just a product to buy, but a community to be part of. Provide a benefit Bring something enticing to the table: offer customers the option to pre-order upcoming product launches through the group chat or access exclusive merch or content. The real-time nature of chat makes it the ideal place to share these types of incentives. Combining a sense of community with desirable, tangible incentives can foster long-term brand loyalty .   We're seeing shifts today in user behavior on social apps - they are more intentional about sharing with 'close friends' and preferred contacts. And with this change, our media planning and buying experts predict group chat will play an increasingly important role in the months to come. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

(LOS ANGELES) April 15, 2024 -- Exverus Media has hired Melanie Mogey as Media Planning Supervisor on the Dymatize team. Melanie has been in the advertising world for 17 years, starting as a graphic designer for the University of South Florida newspaper, where she discovered her advertising passion for media. She spent 16 years honing her skills at a Colorado Springs agency, starting in traffic and climbing the ranks to the Media & Integrated Strategy Department, serving automotive brands, not-for-profits, banks, and medical accounts. She thrives as an extension to her clients’ teams and finds immense satisfaction in seeing her media plans come to life. Exverus Media is a data-driven media agency based in Los Angeles, amplifying global, growth-stage brands through CTV, video, out-of-home, experiential, retail media, paid social, paid search, and programmatic advertising. Our omnichannel media campaigns combine precise research with creative ideas to confidently allocate every ad dollar for the maximum return. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus is dedicated to transparency and long-term client trust. Exverus is Adweek 's 2024 Breakthrough Agency of the Year and 2x Ad Age Small Media Agency of the Year . Follow us on LinkedIn here or Instagram here . For all press inquiries, contact: Michelle.Andrade@exverus.com

The prestigious honor goes to agencies who have shown significant growth & innovation in the last 5 years. We are honored to be named Adweek’s Breakthrough Media Agency of the Year !! 🏆 Our talented team and brave clients earned this award through their creativity, tenacity, and honesty.  “Exverus clients appreciate the customization and personalized attention they get from the agency, as is evidenced by the brand Stella & Chewy’s , a raw pet food company that found Exverus because it could help the brand punch above its weight in the crowded pet food market.  ‘They have the years of experience, but they also are incredibly nimble and are able to be reactive in the moment and adjust to suit our needs in a really thoughtful way”, Betsy Radue, senior director of media, PR, and digital marketing for Stella & Chewy’s told Adweek.  ‘One of the best things about Exverus is how they really focus on prioritization and keep us honest about the metrics that matter to our business goals.." - Doug Cornille, chief growth officer at BellRing Brands [parent company of Premier Nutrition Company] Cornille added that the Exverus team is extremely proactive, challenging the brand and ensuring it has the best media plans.” Read more about our decade of successful campaigns for brands like CLIF Bar, New Belgium & Bell’s Brewery, and Kum & Go here:  https://www.adweek.com/agencies/adweek-breakthrough-media-agency-of-the-year-exverus-media/   For media strategy tips, research, and analysis; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights   newsletter for free here .

Time to send that old sales funnel to the antique shop and build holistic media strategies that convert for the long term. Are you still using the funnel to represent your brand's marketing campaigns? It's OK, we get it! The funnel looks clean and is easy to understand. But today's campaigns aren't so simple. The Marketing Funnel is Dead. No longer do consumers learn about, consider, and purchase products in neat, linear progression as they once did. (Actually, did they ever?) Shopper journeys are messy, unpredictable, and constantly evolving in our omnichannel world. In our latest whitepaper, " Put that Funnel in the Antique Shop: Rethink Your Customer Journeys to Maximize ROI ," we'll break down: Why the linear marketing funnel is dead for brand strategy The latest research in building better frameworks What modern marketers are doing to drive brand growth Why most media channels are becoming full-funnel, including retail media and social commerce How not to fall into the trap of short-termism and play the long game instead If you're ready to break down channel siloes and embrace a more holistic approach to marketing and media strategy, we wrote this guide just for you. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights   newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

One-size-fits-all doesn't work in advertising anymore. To stay ahead of the competition, know your audience and curate your messaging. Brand marketers and advertisers, are you personalizing your marketing content? Personalization is a popular buzzword in advertising these days, but for good reason! Personalized advertising has proven 3-4 times more effective than blast messages and can reduce customer acquisition costs by 50%. And the modern consumer expects it: research from McKinsey found that 76% of customers felt frustrated when a personalized experience doesn't happen. So, how can brands get started? For businesses new to personalization, we've summarized four key factors that drive successful personalization at scale: Key elements of personalized advertising 1. Data Foundation: Centralize customer data to enable seamless interaction across all channels. Data quality is paramount, as is privacy compliance. 2. Decision Making: Use machine learning and AI models to predict customer behavior and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. Segment customers based on value and trigger propensity scoring to identify the right opportunities for engagement. 3. Design: Develop flexible content that can be easily mixed and matched to deliver personalized messages. 4. Distribution: Integrate communication channels to ensure a unified customer experience. React to customer actions in real-time across all touchpoints. Examples of personalization in marketing Spotify recently built upon its popular, annual "Spotify Wrapped" feature with "Daylists" , sending users daily curated song playlists based on their recent listening activity. Similarly, Penguin Random House created an online "book matchmaker" quiz to help readers find new favorite books based on their reading preferences. And at Exverus, we've worked with the Stella & Chewy's raw pet food team to build personalized campaigns, like the America's Next Top Petfluencer contest, which encouraged pet owners to upload photos of their pets (and zero-party data!) for a chance to put their pet on a billboard; and the rich media AR selfies ad unit, which let pet owners create their own filters for pet photos. All of these strategies get consumers interacting with the brand and feeling confident about making a purchase because the recommendation is tailored their individual tastes. Why is personalization an effective media strategy? Because, at its core, personalization is about helping buyers see themselves in your brand and creating a connection with them through shared values, interests, or experiences. It helps create a holistic customer experience. When asked what they want most from personalization, one of the top answers from consumers was, “Know me no matter where I interact with you.” Online, offline, on-site, or in their inbox -- buyers expect a consistent and tailored omnichannel experience. But you can't personalize your content unless you understand your audience and their needs. Data-driven ad personalization Companies can gain valuable insights into their target audience's preferences, interests, and behavior patterns by analyzing consumer data. These insights allow you to tailor your content and messaging to resonate with the individual -- instead of delivering a one-size-fits-all approach. In a way, personalization starts before you even know your customer. You must build your strategy and workflow to collect the necessary data points to create personalized content. Once you have identified your audience and collected data, the possibilities for personalization are endless. Personalization can take many forms, from creating dynamic website experiences to segmenting email campaigns based on customer preferences. The future of personalized advertising Imagine a shopping mall, retail store, and an e-commerce platform working together to deliver a unified, personalized shopping experience. Imagine a streaming TV service showing ads using AI to deliver the most relevant product message based on the individual viewer. By understanding where personalization is headed, brand marketers and their media planning teams can build stronger customer relationships, drive sales, and stay ahead of the curve. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here.

The prestigious honor goes to one excellent media strategist industry-wide annually. Exverus Media's VP of Media Strategy Tasha Day has won the prestigious Campaign US title of Media Buyer/Planner of the Year for 2024! The winners were announced at a ceremony in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Tasha describes  Leading Lightly: Lower Your Stress, Think with Clarity, and Lead with Ease  by Jody Michael as one of her favorite leadership books. As it turns out, she also epitomizes what the book describes as “mental fitness”: the ability to engage constructively and positively in life and work every day, no matter what stressors she encounters. Day brings [19] years of media planning experience to her current role as VP, managing media strategy and operations across all but one of Exverus’ clients. Her leadership helped pull the agency out of the pandemic and into 145% growth in three years. From Stella & Chewy’s Petfluencer Contest to [winning] Tiger Woods’ TGL Golf, she is able to focus on both the small details and the big-picture ideas. Stella & Chewy’s Petfluencer Contest was one of the company’s most successful programs ever. Pet owners used Exverus’ location data technology 269% over projections, while boosted influencer posts resulted in four times the landing page traffic. Day’s use of data-enriched storytelling allowed consumers to feel seen, which was crucial to the smooth rollout of media plans.  Watch Tasha talk more about this wildly successful campaign and how it naturally collected robust sets of zero-party data for the brand: Tasha helped pull Exverus out of the pandemic and up to 145% growth in 3 years while caring for a family, home, and herself. The agency celebrated industry-leading growth of 53% from 2022-2023 and has received numerous other industry accolades this year. She also initiated Exverus’ Sharing is Caring program, in which rotating team members present on industry topics to the rest of the agency. Recent topics included “The Role of Paid Search in a Media Plan”, “How to Best Utilize Chat-GPT in Marketing”, and “Taking Feedback Well”. Exverus has earned its place as one of LA Times' Top Places to Work for 2023 , largely thanks to Tasha's leadership, as reflected in the agency's remarkable 92% employee retention rate in 2022 and consistently high ratings by her staff. Tasha is mental fitness epitomized (and powered by technology). Top-tier industry publications regularly cite Tasha’s expertise, and her hard work is a key ingredient of our agency’s numerous award wins. She was recently the only agency representative chosen to speak on a major conference panel about how CPG brands can build up consumer data while respecting privacy and trust , something Tasha and her team are mastering every day. She explains how Stella & Chewy's used consumer data to build another successful, experiential campaign for long-term customer loyalty , and how data informs all of the media strategies her teams build: See all the Campaign US 2024 Agency of the Year winners here .

Cinematic trailer-style ads play in theaters where craft IPAs are poured (LOS ANGELES) Feb 14, 2024 – Just in time for Valentine's Day movie dates, New Belgium Brewing Voodoo Ranger is launching Tropic Force IPA with a media campaign targeting beer drinkers across the nation with a cinematic twist. As part of an end-to-end customer experience, movie trailer-style TV spots will run across streaming video, online ticketing sites, and even play in theaters where Voodoo Ranger is served. “Tropic Force is one of our most important innovations of 2024 and we wanted to launch the brand in a unique way”, says Dave Knospe, Senior Director of Brand for Voodoo Ranger. “We wanted to play up the cinematic nature of our new TV spot, so using cinema placements at theaters where drinkers can enjoy Voodoo Ranger beers was a natural fit.” Voodoo Ranger, made by New Belgium Brewing, is the #1 craft beer brand in the US. Tropic Force IPA is the latest addition to its Force line of beers and it features tropical natural flavors and a full-throttle 9.5% ABV.  Voodoo Ranger works with Los Angeles-based media agency Exverus Media and Boulder-based creative agency Fact & Fiction. Exverus Media won the New Belgium & Bell’s brewery account in 2023.  The Exverus Media team, led by Shelby Dolan, targeted theaters that serve Voodoo Ranger and placed the trailers just before the lights drop for maximum impact. To supplement the theater ads, the team purchased Homepage Takeovers on ticketing websites for the opening weekends of guaranteed hits.  “Voodoo Ranger is a vibrant, energetic brand for adventurous, drinking-age adults, so meeting them on the big screen in winter makes total sense”, says Dolan.   About Voodoo Ranger IPA Voodoo Ranger, made by New Belgium Brewing, is the fastest-growing and #1 brand in craft beer. Initially launched as three beers in 2017, Voodoo Ranger has released over 20 beers in the past few years including Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA and Juice Force IPA. About Exverus Media Exverus Media is an award-winning, data-driven media agency dedicated to growing modern brands . Our omnichannel strategies combine precise market research with creative ideas to confidently allocate every ad dollar for the maximum return. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus dedicates itself to transparency and long-term client trust. Exverus is the 6x-winner of Adweek 's Media Plan of the Year Award and 2x Ad Age  Small Media Agency of the Year. Media Contact Michelle Andrade michelle.andrade@exverus.com  | +1.919.219.3571

The newest e-commerce platform boasts the full funnel, but not all brands are on board. It's undeniable that TikTok has swiftly evolved from a source of entertainment to a bustling marketplace. With users in the US alone spending over $363 million on TikTok Shop purchases in November, it's evident that the platform's direction has taken a seismic shift. But what does this mean for marketers and advertisers? Is TikTok Shop the New Mall? For many, the transition of TikTok into a shopping destination might feel abrupt -- we're accustomed to scrolling through dance challenges and recipe videos, not virtual storefronts. But with over 150 million users in the US, the potential customer base is too ripe for many brands to ignore. However, despite the allure of tapping into this massive audience, some brands are hesitant to jump on the TikTok Shop bandwagon. Concerns about the proliferation of low-cost, low-quality products flooding the platform may deter those who want to maintain a luxurious, exclusive brand image. Combining Entertainment with E-Commerce For brands contemplating their next move, it's crucial to recognize that TikTok's identity is evolving. Rather than viewing TikTok Shop as a separate entity from the platform's core functionality, it's more productive to see it as an extension. It's a seamless integration of discovery and entertainment with tangible product purchases. TikTok Shop is the full funnel: awareness, influence, and purchase on one page. While it's true that the TikTok Shop hasn't yet translated into profits for parent company ByteDance, its pivot towards e-commerce signals long-term sustainability. This shift underscores the platform's potential as a lucrative marketplace. Crafting a TikTok Shop Strategy So, what's the optimal strategy for marketers in this evolving landscape? Rather than shying away from the TikTok Shop, there's a way to embrace it strategically. By carefully curating products and implementing effective paid media campaigns, brands can strike a balance between leveraging TikTok's popularity and preserving their brand image. Finding success on TikTok requires understanding both of its "faces": the entertainment side and the commerce side. Whether you're creating your own social content or working with influencers, the content can't be siloed from the sales. TikTok is reportedly planning to make all videos shoppable one day, so they must be considered in tandem. As the platform strengthens the relationship between social media and commerce, savvy marketers have an opportunity to carve out their niche in this new ecosystem. In conclusion, while TikTok's transformation into a virtual shopping mall may feel unfamiliar, it presents an exciting opportunity for marketers willing to navigate this new terrain. By embracing strategic adaptation and leveraging the platform's immense reach, brands can position themselves for success in the ever-evolving world of e-commerce. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Company culture awards based upon anonymous employee satisfaction surveys Independent media agency Exverus Media of Hollywood, CA has been named one of Southern California's Best Workplaces in 2023 by the LA Times B2B Publishing team. Awards were given out to 65 organizations, divided into two size categories, based upon the results of anonymous employee satisfaction surveys administered by third-party firm DataJoe LLC. The list was published in a special Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Forum magazine because, "when factors such as diversity, equity, inclusion, communication and transparency from leadership and true growth opportunities are present at a workplace, great things are bound to happen." "Creating an agency where employees feel supported being themselves and doing meaningful work has been our priority since day one", says Bill Durrant, Exverus president and co-founder. "We're grateful to be recognized by our city among such respectable organizations." Exverus has had women and people of color in founding and executive leadership positions since its inception in 2014 – we were built on a vision of inclusion and belonging way before they became popular buzzwords. Of our 40+ employees, a majority identify as people of color and/or LGBTQIA+; also, easily a quarter of Exverians are working parents, with whom we provide the flexibility and compensation needed to integrate work and family life in an expensive city. Our retention rate for the last year was an outstanding 92%, and we have not done any layoffs. For all press inquiries, please contact Michelle Andrade at michelle.andrade@exverus.com .