TLDR MARKETING 2025-05-21

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INSTAGRAM OFFERS CREATORS UP TO $20,000 IN NEW REFERRAL PROGRAM TO ATTRACT USERS

Instagram has launched a 6-week, invite-only referral program offering select US-based creators up to $20K for driving new users or traffic to the platform via links shared outside the app. Participants can earn $100 per eligible sign-up or per 1K eligible visits. The initiative encourages creators to promote Instagram on rival platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Substack. As part of Meta's broader push to retain creator loyalty amid increasing competition, this test follows previous incentives like the “Breakthrough Bonus” and exclusive content deals.

WHY IT'S TIME FOR MORE FEMALE CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Only 12% of creative directors in the UK are women, and the number is even lower when factoring in class and ethnicity. Systemic barriers, from rigid workplace norms to caregiving responsibilities and biased leadership expectations, make it difficult for women to enter and advance in creative leadership. Flexible work environments like Born Social have shown that inclusion strengthens teams and leads to more effective, emotionally intelligent campaigns. Companies with diverse leadership are 25% more likely to outperform peers, yet many women still face personal, financial, and cultural hurdles that limit access and retention. Real change requires equity-focused policies, mentorship, and a redefinition of what leadership looks like.

APPLE OPENED THE DOOR TO WEB PAYWALL–OUR TEST SHOWS IT MIGHT HURT CONVERSIONS

RevenueCat tested in-app purchases against web purchases after Apple allowed developers to bypass the App Store fee. In a four-way experiment with 5.6K new U.S. users of Dipsea, a subscription-based audio storytelling app for intimacy and wellness, the in-app only variant saw a 42% higher initial conversion and trial start rate than the web-only version, even with a 30% web discount. Most drop-off happened at the payment step, showing that sending users out of the app significantly reduces conversions. While web payments may offer longer-term advantages like faster payouts, early data suggests they come with a steep short-term cost.

STANDING OUT IN THE SCROLL: WHY CONTENT DIFFERENTIATION BEATS IMITATION ON X

Firms that created more distinct content from their competitors on X saw better results in engagement and audience expansion. A study categorized brand activity into three tiers, starting with basic promotional updates, followed by community-focused content, and finally, co-creation strategies that invited user input. Only a minority of brands operated in the last and most distinct tier, but those that did captured much more attention and loyalty.

HOW TO GET YOUR TEAM TO POST ON LINKEDIN

Personal LinkedIn accounts reach 10X more people than company pages. To encourage your team to post, run a friendly internal competition with rewards. Track metrics like follower growth, engagement, impressions, and reach. Let the team vote on who created the best content. Set a shared goal for leads, meetings, or revenue, and make rewards conditional on the team hitting that goal to keep everyone accountable.

HOW TO LEAD A HIGH-FUNCTIONING MARKETING ORG (WEBINAR)

This free webinar on May 27, hosted by Exit Five in partnership with Loom, will explore how marketing leaders can reduce meeting overload and improve communication. Ashley Faus and Dr. Molly Sands from Atlassian will be sharing tips on running better meetings, using async tools like Loom, making work more visible, and balancing strategy with hands-on execution.

ADOBE TO AUTOMATICALLY MOVE SUBSCRIBERS TO PRICIER, AI-FOCUSED TIER IN JUNE

Adobe will automatically migrate Creative Cloud All Apps subscribers to a higher-priced Creative Cloud Pro plan on June 17, raising monthly rates. The new tier includes expanded generative AI capabilities such as Firefly-powered image and video tools, unlimited AI features in core apps, and 4,000 monthly generative credits. A lower-priced Creative Cloud Standard plan is available, but it restricts access to premium AI tools and mobile apps.

DOES MARKETING STILL BELIEVE IN BRAND GROWTH?

The last 16 years have seen a disconnect between growing media investment and stagnant brand growth across industries, from retail to pharmaceuticals. Advertisers shifted resources to digital platforms that optimize for short-term engagement and metrics, but this transition has failed to replace the long-term equity built by traditional brand campaigns. The result is a growing perception in the C-suite that marketing's primary role is cost containment rather than strategic, but intangible value creation.

INSIDE POPPI'S PUSH INTO GAMING AS PREBIOTIC SODA MARKETING BUBBLES UP

Poppi's Alpine Blast campaign used gaming to drive customer interaction, launching a Fortnite mini-game with Creator Corp and a nostalgic arcade-style web game that reached 126,000 plays in four days. The brand supported this effort with a limited-edition merch drop and a Coachella-adjacent event featuring influencers and fans, reinforcing its strategy of blending digital experiences with real-world cultural trends.

15-MIN DEMO FRAMEWORK

A minute-by-minute structure of how to run a great demo.

7 WEIRD MARKETING TACTICS

Strategies include analyzing your competitors' frustrated customers, explaining your product to a child, and tracking the online behavior of 3 customers each week.

DUOLINGO'S SOCIAL MEDIA BLACKOUT HAS FANS SO CONFUSED

Duolingo has wiped its social channels weeks after the company's AI-first announcement triggered user backlash and anti-AI sentiment across its comment sections.