Category: Trends

Instagram: No longer just for photos

Clairemont InternBlog, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, Trends, , ,

When Instagram launched in 2010, it was a single feed stream of singular square photos. Over the years, Instagram added options for video, stories, IGTV, Guides, Reels and even shopping within the app. In the most recent update, Adam Mosseri, company head of Instagram, states that Instagram is “no longer a photo-sharing app.” 

Instagram’s goal has always been to keep users in the app for as much time as possible. The networking service’s research findings have shown entertainment as the number one reason people use the app by a long shot. To captivate users against the millennial audience on TikTok, shopping websites and other competitors, Instagram has evolved. Moving forward, they plan to focus on more video content, creators, shopping and direct messaging. 

To make the app more enjoyable for users, Instagram will also experiment with recommendations, or showing users content in their feeds that they are not already following. To make these recommendations more personalized, it is launching a version that includes personalized topics so users can hand select which topics they want to see more or less of. 

What do these changes mean for creators and businesses?

The Instagram algorithm favors content that contains the newest features and keeps users on the app. Instagram has seen the growth video is driving across all platforms and wants to lean into it more. Therefore, creators and businesses should shift content creation to video formatting when possible, preferably to reels and IGTV videos. 

If you are a business with the ability to tag shoppable products through Instagram, you should be jumping at the opportunity to provide your customers an easier way to shop while gaining an advantage in the app. Anytime Instagram launches a new feature, you should be implementing it to your social media strategy as soon as possible. 

Need help launching your own Instagram account for your business or organization? Reach out to us; we’d love to help!

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Fall Fashion: Palazzo-Palooza

Cherith AndesBlog, Fashion, Trends, , , , , , , ,

Big, blousy and bold. We’re in love with 2015 fall fashion trends—especially the next iteration of palazzo pants. Returning from the 1970s, palazzos range from light-weight, monochromatic culottes to vibrant floor-length dusters. And to our utter delight, these summer staples are staking a claim in our fall wardrobes! Solid, crisp white palazzos pair well with stilettos for an evening soiree, while their floral counterparts can be offset by chunky heels for a workday splash.

Best of all, this trend resurgence allows us to put a fresh twist on one of our favorite spring pieces. Dare to flare or flow with our top three tips to pizzazz up your palazzos this fall.

Image courtesy of Elle Magazine
Image courtesy of Elle Magazine

1. Opt for Tailored Tops: Pair your palazzos with a contrasting fitted top, such as a body suit or a tailored jacket. The loose pants-and-shirt combo of the summer is giving way to a more polished look that offsets flaring pants with snug tops. Bonus: This new combo boosts the dressy factor, making palazzos a staple of both work and evening wardrobes. At Clairemont, we’ve experimented with tailored jackets and fitted sleeveless blouses to accent our own palazzo favorites.

2. Pattern Yourself Perfectly: For holiday parties or upscale soirees, take a hint from CoCo Chanel’s hip-to-waist pants that often replaced a skirt in her resort-wear wardrobe. Opt for soft, winter-white palazzos with sophisticated stilettos for upscale functions. Otherwise? Don’t be afraid to sport patterns this fall! Large floral, mosaic or geometric prints pair well with solid tops and chunky statement jewelry. Bridgette Raes, style expert, lays out a few ground rules for wearing patterned palazzos, including choosing cropped tops and accentuating your waist against the flow of the pants. Take it from local fashion blogger, Whitney Blake: patterns—including palm prints—are big hits.

3. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly): If all else fails, aim for classic, clean and straightforward. While this may seem counterintuitive with unstructured palazzos, the accessories make the outfit. Let the palazzos—whether plain or patterned—form the ensemble’s cornerstone. Simple blouses provide a mellow partner to the statement of the pant, while the “pop” of style should come from the accessory, such as a bright red pump or a sparkling ring.

What top trend are you sporting this fall?

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Trends Tuesday: How Young is too Young for Children to Start Using Tablets?

Tracy LathanBlog, Public Relations, Trends,

I have to admit, as a mom of two young children I often feel guilty for handing my kids the iPad so I can unload the dishwasher or respond to a few e-mails. Turns out I might be making them smarter!

According to this recent study featured on The Today Show from the University of London, tablets should be a part of a baby’s world from birth. The study claims that babies and young toddlers learn numbers faster when interacting with the screen.

These findings are contradictory to what the American Academy of Pediatrics has been telling us, which is no “screen time” for children under two. (But honestly, don’t we all we fib on the well visit form when asked how much screen time?)

As a PR person and certified Apple junkie, my MacBook, iPad and iPhone are a part of my daily life. My children see me using them and, naturally, want to use them, too. While I do set limits, I think there are benefits to introducing them to technology early. I have researched and downloaded several learning based apps, and I am convinced that it was Elmo who taught my son his ABC’s, not me.

The reality is that these devices and other technology will always be a part of this next generation’s daily life. They will be expected to use them early on, possibly as early as elementary school, and isn’t it our job as parents to be preparing our children for the real world?

While I can’t say I agree with ditching books in favor of the iPad, or introducing babies to them before they can hold their heads up, this study certainly creates a debate around the possible benefits of exposure to these devices at a young age.

Tell us what you think…should babies be using tablets?

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Mystery Meals Sweep Raleigh

Cherith AndesBlog, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, Trends, , , , , , , , ,

Contrary to a Charlotte reporter’s infamous claim, Raleigh’s food scene is anything but blase, especially with this tasty twist. The pop-up dinner, the Triangle’s newest culinary foray, appeals to the developing Raleigh palette while satisfying our yen for community and conversation.

And, not to mention, our secret desire for red carpet treatment.

The Mystery Dinner

In its original form, the pop-up dinner featured an exclusive cast of chefs who pulled out all the stops to craft a one-time specialty menu. The guest list touted the “who’s who” of the culinary underground along an elite few “in the know.” Although guests knew the time and date of the soiree, everything else remained under wraps until 48 hours (or sometimes just 60 minutes!) prior to the dinner when…voila! Guests received a clever riddle unveiling the mysterious dinner location. How very Sherlock of us!

Acorn Kitchen, a Raleigh concept known for its distinctive catering, was one of the first to pilot the pop-up trend in the Triangle. Hosted in the courtyard of the Raleigh Architectural Institute, the mystery dinner piqued the interest of culinary critics and acclaimed foodies alike, delivering such social buzz and culinary zest that it has since become a hallmark event.

Pop-Ups with Wide Appeal

The latest iteration of the pop-up dinner has a broader appeal. You don’t necessarily have to know somebody who knows somebody with the secret handshake to enjoy a sparkling evening with fine wine. Ashley Christensen, 2014 James Beard Award recipient, recently launched a pop-up dinner series as a precursor to her upcoming concept, Death & Taxes. With the right ticket price, guests receive a VIP tour by Ashley herself (there’s the red carpet element!) followed by a four-course meal prepared by acclaimed chefs. The difference? The details are known, but the allure of the “backstage pass” remains.

Marketing with Meals

Pop-up dinners can serve a worthy function, too. Restaurants and chefs engage in friendly competition with other eateries to stoke interest in their collective brands. Catering companies, such as Snap Pea, forge a loyal following and engage new customers who may not otherwise have tasted its fare. ChickenWireNC provides local chefs opportunities to showcase their latest dishes to a select few fans and friends. All exclusive, all intriguingly delicious.

Rivaling the classic dinner-and-a-movie, the pop-up dinner pairs entertainment with a five-star meal. Raleigh certainly jumped on the right end of this rising trend—and we can’t wait to taste what’s next!

Any pop-up dinners that we should put on our watch list?

P.S. A special thanks to foodie friends Durham Foodie, Raleigh What’s Up, CookEatLife and FeliciaPhoto for their tasty tidbits about Raleigh’s food trends!

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How to Win with Marketing Contests

Cherith AndesBlog, Real Estate PR, Trends, , , , , , ,

If I were a realtor, I would hand out fudge. Or hotdogs. Or homemade chocolate chip cookies. Any treat to mitigate the laborious grind of the house hunt. However, with the economy’s upward climb, a proliferation of new housing options have peppered the market, and along with them, a stream of fresh ways to engage potential home buyers.

Home buying might actually be fun again.

Real estate agents, developers and builders alike have re-introduced the age-old concept of the contest but have revamped it in fresh and interesting ways. Potential home buyers now enter a proverbial play ground of incentives, prizes and freebies to ease and expedite their choices. Naturally, the main tenant in real estate appeal still remains the same: location, location, location. But how much can juicy incentives sway a customer’s decision between the his or her top picks?

Successful real estate contests blend creativity, fun and ease with a noteworthy prize—something commensurate with the amount of effort required. And truly effective, engaging campaigns incorporate these three aspects:

Make It Easy: The Harvard Business Review took a close look at marketing variables that affect the “stickiness” of customers—how likely they are to complete a transaction. The bottom-line discovery revealed that the number one factor that influences consumer follow through is the “decision simplicity index,” or simply put, simplicity. In essence, when the task requires too much effort, the customer throws up his hands and walks. The sample principle translates into contests. Applicants shouldn’t be frightened away by convoluted instructions or complex tasks but rather engaged through one or two-step contests that make you think, “Oh, of course, I could do that.”

Make It About Me: Effective contests swing the spotlight onto the potential home buyer, inviting the customer to invest in a personal way rather than tossing their names into an overflowing fishbowl. Ben Marion Real Estate, a California-based agency, asked fans to snap selfies in front of its office sign. Once posted on social media, the photo that garnered the most likes won tickets to see the acclaimed Rascal Flatts in concert. Customers flocked to see their own selfies online and begged friends to visit Ben Marion’s page to vote. Effective.

Make It Worth It: In preparation for its May 16 grand opening, Wendell Falls— a new-home community in Wendell, North Carolina (and Clairemont client)—invited potential home buyers to enter for a chance to win something big: $50,000 towards a new home in Wendell Falls. How much is $50k? This eye-popping prize–approximately the same amount as the average American’s annual household income–attracted several hundred contestants to throw their hats into the ring with heart-warming stories and some whacky selfies. Who wouldn’t?

We have to give a high-five to Wendell Falls and ad agency partner Roni Hicks for incorporating all three of the “it” factors into its contest as well. With only a few words to write and fun selfies to snap, fans enjoy spotlighting their own personalities in an easy, accessible process. Well done, team!

(P.S. This is your official invitation to attend the May 16 Grand Opening Event at Wendell Falls where the winner will be unveiled. Join us to see a successful campaign unfold!)

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