Break Through the Noise Page 20

  Looking back over the first three years of our company, we did a lot of crazy things, but we had never become involved in the music space. That all changed when we were introduced to the management team for Dua Lipa, an up-and-coming artist on Warner Bros. Records. Dua has a contemporary voice and talent in spades, as you are probably aware of by now. But when we were introduced to her in early 2017, her record label was still trying to figure out how to break her into the US market. At the time, she was popular in Europe and had a few successful collaborations with major artists, but was virtually unknown in America.

  At the same time, we were talking to Hyatt hotels, which was looking to use music and social media to bring a young, hip vibe to their new brand, the Hyatt Unbound Collection.

  A match was made. We collaborated with Dua Lipa’s team on a strategy to produce an array of shareable content around Dua and her soon-to-be-released single “New Rules.” Hyatt bankrolled all of the content, including the music video for “New Rules,” helmed by the amazing UK director Henry Scholfield. Shareability also produced an array of social content around the production, featuring Dua and the making of the video, including two live performances. The entire campaign was backed by a substantial media spend.

  For the shoot, we took over the Confidante Miami Beach, an updated 1950s art deco resort, which is owned by Hyatt. In the video, as the lyrics to the song go, Dua is pulled out of a funk by her girlfriends as she tries to forget about a worthless boyfriend and move on with her life. Her girlfriends give her a musical pep talk as they dance through the hotel and head out into the South Beach sunshine to take a cleansing swim in the hotel’s pool, where flamingos are frolicking and mischief is on the horizon.

  The “New Rules” video exploded online, quickly attaining unicorn status with more than 1 billion views. As it cut through the digital noise, so did Dua Lipa, who rocketed to superstardom. She became the first female artist since Adele to have a number-one hit in the UK, and she eventually went number one in the United States as well. Her Spotify streaming numbers, the new benchmark in the music business, increased by over 800 percent. Her popularity since then has only risen further, and she is one of the most played artists on traditional radio.

  For Hyatt, the campaign became the most successful social media campaign that the company had ever been a part of, driving over 50 million views on their social channels, giving substantial heat, and building a cool factor around the Hyatt Unbound Collection brand.

  Watching how quickly a previously unknown artist can ascend to the top of the music business is inspiring. It reminds us that in this new digital world, it can also happen for brands just as quickly.

  Moving forward, a big focus for Shareability is not only helping existing brands navigate their own digital transformations, but using the power of digital to launch new ones.

  A prime example of this is a brand called SAGE that we’re helping get off the ground. SAGE is the brainchild of journalist Jessica Yellin, whose name you may recognize because she’s a former senior correspondent for CNN. Yellin came to CNN in 2007 as a political reporter in the lead-up to the 2008 presidential election. At the time, the presumptive nominees were Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and John McCain for the Republicans, and those two individuals were heavily covered by the senior political correspondents at CNN. Since Yellin was relatively new, lacked seniority, and was, well, a woman, she was placed on a different beat, sent off to the Midwest to cover a relatively unknown senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.

  As Obama’s star rose, so did Yellin’s. She followed him all the way to the White House, eventually becoming CNN’s chief White House correspondent.

  But for all of her success, Yellin was not happy. She had an inside look at how the news business operated, and even though she was contributing to it at the highest level, she didn’t like it. She often speaks of the edict handed down to her to “make news more like ESPN,” where color commentators were engaged in “heated and passionate debates” or, more accurately, yelling matches, over largely irrelevant topics. “News is about conflict,” they would say. “Outrage wins viewers.”

  Whenever something important would be happening at the White House, perhaps an introduction of new policy that would affect millions of Americans, Yellin would pitch an intelligent and thoughtful story that could get the facts out to the viewers in a calm and informed way, only to be told time and time again that this was too “dry” or “boring” and to focus instead on covering the White House reactions to the Obama birth certificate “scandal” or the placement of the White House Christmas tree ornaments.

  The news business was becoming so commoditized that sensationalism was not just seeping but flooding into all the established networks. Even CNN, a network once considered a bastion of serious and breaking news, was becoming a loud and flashing mess of attention-hoarding infotainment—all with the pressing and short-term goal of driving ratings to satisfy advertisers.

  The end result of all this, of course, is that the news business as a whole is suffering. They are losing viewers in droves as people are running away from the loud, bombastic, constant bombardment of “breaking news” every time there is a cat up a tree, and instead are turning to the safe cocoon of their social media feeds. Yellin is looking to change all of that.

  After she left CNN, she took some time off to contemplate her future. She thought about her experiences in the news business and the path of news reporting in general. She watched the news from an outside perspective for the first time and recognized a singular truth that had somehow escaped her when she was battling from the inside—where were all the women?

  Every single newsroom she had ever been a part of was always run by men. This was somehow just the tradition and an accepted truth. Women were relegated to being on-camera talent because they were “prettier to look at.” Yellin herself was constantly receiving feedback from the newsroom on her on-camera performance, not based on the substance of her reporting but on the way her hair would move in the wind. “Why does your hair have to move?” Well, because she was outside and the damned wind was blowing. What does this have to do with news?

  Absolutely nothing.

  Yellin started asking questions, specifically looking for feedback from women from all walks of life. What did they think of the news? Did they watch it? What did they like? What did they not like?

  As it turned out, news makes women feel lied to, nervous, and anxious. As a result, they don’t watch it. The whole edict of “conflict and outrage” was not working on half the population.

  This was a staggering revelation. Yellin dug deeper, springing for a real study in partnership with leading educational institutions. It turned out her anecdotal research was spot on. Seventy-four percent of women are currently “taking a break” from news. Sixty-eight percent say they get an anxiety hangover from watching. Only an abysmal 23 percent say they feel in any way informed by watching the news.

  Women wanted news that gave them facts, not opinions, and news that was informative, not repetitive. They want things explained—if taxes are up or down, how does that affect not just their life but also others, and what does it mean? They also need to find out about all of this quickly and calmly so they can move on with their lives.

  Yellin saw the need for a female-led newsroom delivering video news directly to your social media feed. She would need to build a team of Emmy and Peabody Award–winning journalists, investigative reporters, experts in finance, immigration, women’s issues, science, entertainment, culture, and of course, politics.

  The news media is currently a $120 billion business, and that’s without women watching. If news could capture women viewers, that figure could balloon to $200 billion. That’s an $80 billion market gap waiting for someone to claim it.

  Yellin is stepping up by creating SAGE. Will her effort gain traction and become the next great voice in American news? Only time will tell. But it sure is fun to be in the trenches, trying to disrupt a national institut
ion that really hasn’t successfully adapted to the internet age.

  Another project that we’re working on is a skin-care brand launching in partnership with a major music star. The genesis of this brand is a conversation that I had with a major e-commerce company, where they shared data showing how skin-care-product sales are growing rapidly with Generation Z. Can you guess the reason? I’ll give you a hint—it has everything to do with this book. If you haven’t guessed it by now, the reason is social media.

  The average 20-year-old girl today takes more pictures in a day than her mom took in a year. That’s a pretty crazy stat, but it’s totally consistent with what we see. And because of all of these close-ups for Instagram, adolescents and young adults are paying far more attention to their skin. And hence, skin-care products are on the rise.

  So we’re launching a new brand that was built from the ground up for the selfie generation. It will include all of the skin and facial products you need to look your best, all wrapped in a positivity brand with the soul and aesthetic of Generation Z. As you might expect, we’re launching the brand exclusively on digital, without any traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, in partnership with an e-commerce behemoth. To launch the brand, we’re going to create a tidal wave of promotion and positivity around the brand, with a music artist pushing to their tens of millions of fans on social media, from Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to our e-commerce partner driving search and promotion on their platform. Soon after this book is out, the brand will be in the market, and if we’ve done our job right, you will know exactly which one it is. I can’t wait to see what you think.

  Since Shareability was first founded, the only constant has been our ability to make changes and constantly start over. My message to you is that you should also keep your eye open for this kind of opportunity in your area of interest and for your brand, no matter its size, as opportunities yet to be discovered abound.

  Because everything in the internet world is rapidly advancing, you need to be in a state of continuous evolution. Remember to always keep learning from those who are having success and constantly be studying what’s happening on social media platforms, from social media stars like Jay Shetty to innovative brands like Dollar Shave Club to the script-flippers like Poppy.

  Staying ahead of the internet zeitgeist is a challenge and a nonstop process of constant iteration, but with the tools you have from this book, you are well prepared to meet that challenge. At Shareability, we work hard to stay on the edge of innovation, which keeps our energy level high. As one of our advisors proudly said about us, “Shareability is always skating to where the puck is going to be, as opposed to where it is.” I hope this book will help you do the same.

  Acknowledgments

  To my co-author Josh Young—you rock. It is rare to find someone with so much talent combined with so much grace. Thank you for everything you’ve done in making this book happen and for putting up with my quirks and missed deadlines. It has been an absolute blast to work together.

  To my publisher Rick Wolff at Houghton Mifflin, it has truly been a dream to work with you. You took a risk on this book and I will forever be grateful. Thank you to Rosemary McGuinness for keeping us on track and making things go smoothly, and to Brooke Borneman, Sari Kamin, and the entire publicity and marketing team for your genius and support.

  To my brilliant partner Nick Reed, who cofounded Shareability and brought Josh and me together to write this book—thank you for all that you do. This book and this company wouldn’t have happened without you.

  To the crazy Swede Joel Bergvall, you are an amazing partner who helped tremendously in bringing this book to life. Whether it is creative concepts, video scripts, book drafts, or poker games—anything you touch only gets better. A lot better. You are the man.

  To the calm in the storm, my partner Erick Brownstein, you are the man that makes it all happen. Thank you for everything that you’ve done in building this company and giving it heart. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

  To my friend of twenty years and new partner Mike Allen, thank you for joining us on this journey. I’ve seen the success you’ve had at the highest levels of brands and agencies and have long dreamed about working together. We are honored and excited to have you on board.

  To our new chairman Jean-Yves Charlier, thank you for believing in us and for pushing us out of our comfort zone. Your insights and relationships have already been invaluable in taking this company to the next level.

  To Patrick Mazuca at Shareability for your insights on the book and fantastic analogy of the internet city. Great stuff!

  To our investors at Bunim Murray, we couldn’t be more excited about being in business with you. Jonathan Murray and Gil Goldschein, you have built an amazing company at the intersection of content and pop culture. Jonathan Stern, thank you for believing in us and for making our partnership happen.

  To the entire team at Shareability, thank you for everything that you do. I am consistently blown away by your talents and what you are able to make happen. I am even more impressed by what good people you are. Big things are ahead!

  To my literary agent Andrew Stuart, thank you for helping shape the concept and for pushing the project along both creatively and on the business front.

  To my friend and teacher Dr. John Kim: I showed up in your office one day a stressed out, beaten man and had no idea that my life was about to completely change. Thank you for everything that you do for me and for the team at Shareability. You are an amazing talent and there is not a person in the world that would not be better off for knowing you.

  To my friend and partner Michael Redd, you are the man. I am inspired by your talent but blown away by your humility. It has been an absolute pleasure to spend time together and to get to know you and Achea.

  To my good friend Matt Hickenbotham, who left us way too soon: They say that the candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and no one was as bright as you. I miss you buddy.

  To my awesome and beautiful wife, Darcy, thank you for supporting me through this crazy entrepreneurial journey. Though all the stressful nights and weekends behind a laptop you always had my back and brought positivity. My life is so much better because I met you.

  To my amazing kids Max and Allie, thank you for putting up with me through all of the weekends I was behind a laptop writing this book. Now let’s go have some fun!

  To my brothers Andy and Jay, it has been quite the ride from Plainview Pkwy to Dallas, Phoenix, and L.A. Rufus would be proud.

  To my mom and dad, Jim and Darlene Staples, thank you for everything that you have done for me. You’ve had a much bigger impact than you know.

  Tim Staples

  February 2019

  Index

  A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

  A

  ABC, 25

  Ackerman, Dave, 125

  Ad Age, 54, 121

  Volkswagen Beetle ad, 121

  Ad Age Viral Leaderboard, 54, 166

  Adams, Douglas, 138

  Adobe

  Hurricane Harvey Restoration Project, 19, 32–33, 41, 202

  video success, viii

  advertising, digital

  Ad Age Viral Leaderboard, 54

  auction-based pricing, 164–65

  measurements of, 51–52

  advertising, traditional

  ad blockers, 4

  brand philosophy and slogans, 68–69

  feedback, 51

  interruptive, 44

  lack of sharing, 23

  one-sided conversation, 28

  placement costs, 164

  posters of favorites, 22–23

  pre-internet era, 3–4, 46–47, 50–51

  tolerance for, 50

  traditional sports, 12–13

  transition to internet, 5

  Airbnb, 73, 143

  AJ+, 189

  Alba, Jessica, 74–76

  algorithms,
7

  artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, 147–49

  computer-generated personality profile, 52

  effect of human nature on, 159–60

  Siri, 52

  testing content, 200–201

  Amazon, 183

  America’s Funniest Home Videos, 12

  Android, 164

  Anheuser-Busch, 4

  Apple, 2

  1984 commercial for Macintosh, 71

  Think Different, 69–71

  AT&T, 19

  attention span, 7, 84, 180

  Atwood, Roman, 15

  Ayzenberg Earned Media Value Index Report, 9

  Ayzenberg Group, 9

  B

  Bach, King, 15

  Baumgartner, Felix, 13, 29–30

  BBDO, 70

  Beats, 73

  Bergvall, Joel, 32

  Beyoncé, 22

  Binge, The, 201

  Black Lives Matter, 80

  Bleacher Report, 95

  Bloomberg, 25

  Brauer, Chris, 33–34

  Bridget Jones’s Diary, 76

  BuzzFeed, 109–10, 170, 189

  C

  Calvin Klein, 131

  Carey, Mariah, 59

  Carson, Johnny, 62

  celebrities and athletes, 59–60

  See also voice, unique

  Cena, John, 38–40, 43–45, 56, 100, 109, 183

  Cenni, Adrian “Wildman,” 94, 100

  Cerny, Amanda, 143

  Chan, Johnny, 59

  Cheddar, 189