What do Apple, Meta, Google and Amazon have in common?

They all have federal lawsuits pending!

The Silicon Valley Tech Giants are currently under investigation for anticompetitive behaviour, with Google being the first to see consequences.

In today's newsletter:

• Big Tech’s been playing monopoly (the U.S government’s had enough!)

• Why you should make your customers cry! (emotional advertising for the win)

• Trend plug - One More Secret

• Ask the Editor - Should I post personal stuff on LinkedIn?

-Sophie, Guest Editor

Big Tech must love the courthouse, since it seems to be a frequent hotspot for those in the industry right now.

After Google’s landmark antitrust ruling on Monday, it appears my feed is flooded with other lawsuits currently in the pipeline from the U.S. federal government. (Even Elon Musk is involved in some messy court drama, but we’ll save that for another time.)

I’m unsure if it’s the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, or if the U.S. government is cracking down on Big Bad Tech-Wolves. Either way, it’s worth talking about.

Because it would appear that the parade of major federal cases challenging the power of these guys is just getting started.

(Cue, popcorn.)

Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission started investigating the largest of the large, Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, for monopolistic behaviour.

As we know, Google has since been sued twice. But the government has also sued all four companies in an effort to pull down their tyranny and promote some healthy competition.

So, this is what Future meant when he said Feds Did a Sweep.

And a sweep is exactly what’s happening.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Making Your Audience Cry Could be an Effective Way to Sell to Them

There are two types of people in this world:

1. People who have cried watching an ad

2. Liars

Emotional advertising is not new to the industry in any sense of the word.

However, I do feel as our creative capabilities expand, marketers’ abilities to evoke a deeply emotional response from their audience becomes more effective.

Ads are becoming almost like mini films. They play on insights and reflect truths that are sometimes so subconscious, we haven’t even realised them ourselves.

They’re a mirror of the cultural mood. And will become important relics of the zeitgeist they reflect in years to come.

Ads that evoke this kind of emotion leave a lasting impression of your brand.

How many times have you watched a 'feel good' piece of creative that leaves you with a more positive perception of the brand? Maybe you haven’t even thought about it happening.

But I can guarantee you it does.

That’s why 85% of consumers buy from companies with which they have strong emotional connections. Not only that, they’re likely to also spend more money. Cha-Ching.

Why is this? Well, emotional connection creates preference over competition.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - One More Secret

"I feel I have one more secret I have to share with you..."

This is actually a relatively old sound of a clip from Family Guy. But is currently quietly making it's return and it's your turn to jump on it!

The clip being used is of Peter Griffin letting out a deep secret he has been dying to get off his chest as him and his family are awaiting their deaths.

People are using this sound to let people know their burning secrets and confessions, like the fact that "they don't care about the hawk tuah joke" or that "they don't like coffee".

How to jump on this trend:

Using this sound use the on screen text "Since we're all gonna die, there's one more secret I feel I have to share with you..." When the audio says "I did not care for The Godfather," tell us a secret you've been dying to get off your chest.

A few ideas to get you started:

• "I do not care about your hate comments"

• "I hate plant-based milk"

• "I still can't make a good coffee (i'm 30)"

-Carter, Intern

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Ask the Editor

Q - I know I shouldn't just post job updates on LinkedIn, but I feel weird posting about personal stuff. Is there a happy medium somewhere? -Caleb

Hey Caleb!

Absolutely! Yes we talk all the time about posting about your personal experiences, but that doesn't mean airing all your dirty laundry for the world to see. Instead of thinking about your content as 'personal stuff,' I'd think about writing about your personal experiences.

So, for example, if you're an accountant building your own firm, you could write about the challenges that come along with that. Or if you're a new leader in an agency, you could write about what you're learning as your team grows. This kind of content is personal to you but still related to your professional life.

The reason this makes great content is it's relatable to anyone who's been in a similar position to you. You can share as much or as little as you want, but if you want to build your personal brand, you have to let people get to know you on some level!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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